Recent news could significantly impact Vikings extension for Justin Jefferson

Ever since the conclusion of the 2023 season, one of the top Minnesota Vikings storylines has centered around a possible contract extension for superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

No legitimate reports have pointed to any sort of rift between the Vikings and Jefferson, so it is still believed by many that a deal between the two parties will likely be completed before the start of the 2024 season.

How much an extension for the All-Pro wide receiver will ultimately cost Minnesota is still unknown, but with the news of another NFC North pass-catcher cashing in on Wednesday, Jefferson's price might become even higher.

Reported extension for Detroit Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown could increase the price for the Minnesota Vikings to extend WR Justin Jefferson

Each offseason, a number of talented players around the league end up landing big-money extensions from their current teams, and on Wednesday, Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown became the latest to do so.

According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, St. Brown and the Lions have reportedly agreed to a four-year extension worth more than $120 million that also includes $77 million in guaranteed money.

With his new contract, the average annual value of the Detroit pass-catcher's deal ($30 million) is now tied for the highest among all wide receivers in the NFL heading into the 2024 season with Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins.

So, what does this mean for Jefferson and the Vikings?

Well, first, if there were any doubts about Jefferson being able to land an extension worth at least $30 million per season, those have disappeared. But to be fair, many already assumed the Minnesota wide receiver was going to be able to surpass the $30 million per year mark with his new deal anyway. St. Brown's new contract essentially just guarantees that this is going to happen now.

Following Wednesday's report, we can also assume that an extension for Jefferson is going to include a massive amount of guaranteed money. If St. Brown can get $77 million in guarantees, could the extension for the Vikings All-Pro receiver end up including an amount of guaranteed money that is closer to $100 million?

It's possible that Minnesota and Jefferson have already agreed to the majority of the terms in a possible extension and St. Brown's new contract won't really make much of an impact.

At the very least, however, it seems safe to assume that the agents for the star Vikings receiver are going to make sure St. Brown doesn't enter the 2024 regular season as the highest-paid pass-catcher in the NFC North.

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