6 ways the Vikings can avoid disaster in the 2024 offseason
By Chris Schad
How the Vikings can avoid disaster No. 3
Don’t trade Justin Jefferson
With the quarterback discussion taking up much of the ink in the opening month of the offseason, Justin Jefferson’s next contract seems to be an afterthought. Entering the final year of his deal, Jefferson is set to get a big raise and vowed to “break the bank” while talking to Sirius XM’s Adam Schein over Super Bowl week.
The situation could create a standoff after both sides were unable to reach an extension last spring and has led to speculation toward trading Jefferson. But the Vikings would need to be more wise to do so as they look to build a championship-caliber roster.
The case for trading Jefferson is based on how other teams have found success. The Kansas City Chiefs just won the Super Bowl with Rashee Rice as their leading receiver, and the San Francisco 49ers capitalized with a receiving core that had Brandon Aiyuk on a rookie contract.
The allure of trading Jefferson has also rested with his presumed value, with some predicting the Vikings could get the third overall pick from the New England Patriots or multiple first-round picks in a trade. But recent history shows this isn’t realistic.
Tyreek Hill and A.J. Brown both netted a mid-to-late pick in the first round when they were traded in 2022, and the loose change didn’t net their former teams much to brag about. Even the last time the Vikings did this with Stefon Diggs, they received a first-round pick with a fourth, fifth, and sixth-round selection.
The Vikings wound up selecting Jefferson with the pick acquired in the Diggs deal, but you’re also hoping lightning strikes twice. There’s also the matter of needing superstar talent to win the Super Bowl, as the 49ers pushed Mahomes into overtime with one of the greatest rosters in recent memory.
Re-signing Jefferson will not be cheap, but it also might be a necessary cost to win big.