The Vikings Made a Specific Request to Justin Jefferson
Going on his 26th birthday (June 16th if you’re looking for a reason to eat cake at home) and sixth season in the NFL, Justin Jefferson is now a well-established player who is one of the Vikings’ key leaders. Accordingly, the Vikings made a specific request to #18: show up for OTAs, please.
The franchise is moving ahead with a new passer taking over, a very common reality of the Kevin O’Connell/Kwesi Adofo-Mensah era. J.J. McCarthy is only 22 and is coming off a missed rookie season, creating questions (concerns?) about his readiness to step into the top spot. McCarthy is, in short, a bit of a mystery, at least when it comes to his abilities (not whether he’s the QB1). Jefferson is getting leaned on to help bring the quarterback further along.
The Vikings Made a Request to Justin Jefferson
Imagine, for instance, a Golden State Warriors team that was unable to get Steph Curry the ball for a 3-point shot. Or, perhaps, a Minnesota Wild team where the center couldn’t get Kirill Kaprizov the puck in great scoring areas.
That’d be a problem, right?
In Minnesota, the issue would arise if the quarterback can’t get the ball to Jefferson. Any passer in Minnesota’s offense who can’t get the ball to Jefferson consistently isn’t going to last long. True, there are times when locking onto the WR1 is actually a hindrance to the team’s success, but don’t let those rare moments obfuscate the basic reality: being the top passer for the Vikings means allowing Jefferson to feast. Seeing McCarthy build a positive connection with Jefferson is therefore a top priority.
When chatting with the media, Justin Jefferson confirmed that the team’s leadership — presumably, Kevin O’Connell — asked him to come out for OTAs. “When they asked for me to be here,” Jefferson says, “and asked for me to be a part of it, it was a no brainer.” Do note, as well, that a few moments before Jefferson describes a desire to “build that connection with my teammates, especially with my quarterback.”
Not long afterwards, Jefferson jumps into the topic yet again: “I most likely was going to be here, anyway. But for them to ask for me to be here, especially with J.J. being our new quarterback, new guys on the team, new guys on our offense. So, just being here with them.” He then describes his effort to help bring the new players further along.
Justin Jefferson, in short, is being leaned on as a leader.
Generally speaking, a team’s quarterback is the top leader. Being able to shepherd teammates is inherent to the passer’s job. The Vikings, though, find themselves in a somewhat unique spot insofar as the roster is riddled with well-established veterans capable of guiding their peers, Jefferson among them. McCarthy, no doubt, is growing in this area, but we’re still talking about a 22 year old who hasn’t accomplished anything in the NFL.
Meanwhile, Justin Jefferson has accomplished much, so much so that he could be considered for the Hall of Fame were he to retire today (check out the conversation on The Vikings Gazette). If he wants to continue flourishing, though, then he’ll need J.J. McCarthy to get up to speed in a hurry.
McCarthy and Jefferson are walking hand-in-hand, cornerstone players for the offense and team more broadly. Getting the two on the same page in the spring so that they can continue growing through the summer and, indeed, throughout the season is vital for Minnesota’s success.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and Bluesky (@VikingsGazette). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.
