With the 2022 regular season finished, Justin Jefferson is now eligible to sign a massive contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings.
The Monday after the regular season is often regarded as “Black Monday” with coaching staffs being torn apart. However, that day also signifies the start of contract talks for players on rookie contracts. In this case, players from the 2020 NFL Draft are eligible to sign extensions with their teams, which includes star Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
There is absolutely no reason for the Vikings to not sign Jefferson to a record-breaking extension, given that he has put up record-breaking numbers through his three seasons with the organization and is only getting better.
With steady improvement in each of his three professional seasons, Jefferson has set himself up to be the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL and to sign the richest contract ever for his position.
Justin Jefferson contract extension from Minnesota Vikings could pay him $35 million per season
Jefferson is coming off a 2022 regular season in which he racked up 1,809 yards on 128 catches despite being shut down in multiple games when defenses made it a clear decision to limit his production. He still ended the season head and shoulders above the competition and is trending toward his first selection as a First-Team All-Pro.
Below is a list of some of the accolades that Jefferson has accomplished in just three short seasons in Minnesota.
- Most receiving yards by a rookie wide receiver
- Most receiving yards by a player in his first three seasons
- Vikings franchise record for receiving yards in a game
- Led NFL in receptions and yards in 2022
Wide receivers have started to rake in the cash over the past few years. Tyreek Hill became the first to receive a contract that paid $30 million per year following his trade to the Miami Dolphins during the last offseason.
Five wide receivers in the NFL now make over $25 million per season, but none of them offer what Jefferson does with his youth and room to grow.
Of the five wide receivers to make $25 million per year, only A.J. Brown (26) of the Philadelphia Eagles will be younger than 29 to start next season. Jefferson will be 24-years-old heading into next season and is about to he will set the wide receiver market for the next batch of stars behind him.
There is a good chance that Jefferson’s agent asks for an extension that pays him at least $35 million per year, with a large chunk of it being guaranteed. Still, this would be a no-brainer for the Vikings. He is the heart and soul of the roster, the state of Minnesota, and one of the biggest stars in the entire NFL.
The chance to retain a global star at this stage of his career without souring the relationship should be the focus of the offseason for the Vikings.