Justin Jefferson Towers Over His Competition
The current regime led by general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has handed out two major contract extensions in addition to various smaller ones. T.J. Hockenson and Justin Jefferson received those deals and will continue to be the two top targets in the receiving group for years to come, with Jordan Addison also under contract for at least three more seasons.
Justin Jefferson Towers Over His Competition
Jefferson’s new deal is groundbreaking, as he is the best-compensated player in NFL history outside of quarterbacks. However, he deserves every penny of his four-year $140 million salary that ties him to the team through the 2028 season.
Not only is the 25-year-old the face of the franchise, but he is also the face of the wide receivers in the NFL, according to Jordan Dajani from CBS Sports, who ranked the top 20 wideouts in the league. The top spot in those rankings is generally reserved for either Jefferson or Dolphins standout Tyreek Hill. The latter led his peers in receiving yards last year but is placed second this time.
The duo also claims the two spots at the top of the list among players with the most receiving yards since Jefferson came into the league in 2020.
The highest-paid receiver is indeed the best receiver in the league. Maybe his production dips just a bit with Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy at quarterback, but Jefferson could probably reach 1,000 receiving yards with me throwing him the football.
Jefferson averaged a career-high 107.4 receiving yards per game last season, and still finished inside the top 20 of receiving yards despite missing seven games due to injury. Only three players have ever reached 1,000 receiving yards in 10 or fewer games played, and Jefferson is one. He has recorded the most receiving yards in a player’s first four seasons in NFL history (5,899), and has the most receiving yards per game in NFL history (98.3).
Jefferson is a great route-runner, a home-run hitter and a pass-catcher with special hands. He’s the best receiver in the NFL.
Jordan Dajani, CBS Sports
Jefferson’s resume is quite impressive for a player who has only been in the league for four seasons and didn’t enter the draft as a sure thing. Players like Ja’Marr Chase or recently-drafted Marvin Harrison Jr. are expected to be dominant players, but Jefferson was viewed as a solid slot receiver in the draft, which is why he was the fifth receiver off the board.
His best season so far came in 2022, when he recorded 1,809 yards and 128 catches, leading the NFL in both categories. The connection he formed over the years with quarterback Kirk Cousins was impressive. Now that Cousins is off the team, he must adapt to a different passer. Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy are the two potential distributors, and neither has a history of elevating the receivers around them.
The good news is that Jefferson is so amazing that he produced massive numbers, with Nick Mullens throwing him the ball despite defenses heavily focusing on him. He will continue to be heavily featured in Kevin O’Connell’s offense and draw prominent target numbers.
In the 2024 season, Jefferson needs only 784 receiving yards to eclipse Adam Thielen, Jake Reed, Sammy White, and Steve Jordan for fourth all-time in franchise history. Third-placed Anthony Carter is currently 1,737 yards ahead of Jefferson and could be within reach if the wideout stays healthy and the passing game remains explosive despite the downgrade at QB.
Jefferson’s first matchup of the season will be against the New York Giants, who did a decent job limiting his production in both contests in 2022.
Editor’s Note: Information from Over the Cap and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt