Biggest winners and losers of Justin Jefferson's record-breaking contract

After months of waiting, the Minnesota Vikings and Justin Jefferson finally came to terms on the contract extension NFL fans had been expecting. The Vikings just took their new franchise quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, and now keep the best receiver in football in Minnesota for years to come.

The terms of the deal are as insane as everyone expected them to be. He signed a four-year deal worth $140 million with $110 million of that guaranteed. He's the highest-paid non-QB in the league as a result, making a cool $35 million annually.

As is the case with any extension signed in the NFL, Jefferson's deal will have a ripple effect on everyone around the league. These are the biggest winners and losers that come from Jefferson's deal.

5) J.J. McCarthy will begin his NFL career with the best wide receiver in the league on his side

Kirk Cousins departing in free agency meant Minnesota was going to select their new franchise quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft. J.J. McCarthy turned out to be that guy, and on paper, he couldn't have walked into a better spot, especially now that Jefferson is signed.

The Vikings are loaded on the offensive side of the ball with Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Aaron Jones, and T.J. Hockenson all under contract for the 2024 season. That's a great core, but things would look quite different if Jefferson wasn't in the picture. Jefferson is the elite piece here.

McCarthy will play out his rookie deal with the best receiver in the league on his side. He doesn't have to be perfect knowing Jefferson will save him on numerous occasions. The other weapons will be open more knowing that Jefferson is on the field somewhere. His chances of succeeding as a franchise quarterback just skyrocketed knowing Jefferson will be helping him out. That's a huge deal.

4) Jordan Addison will have a hard time proving to be among the best WRs in the league alongside Justin Jefferson

There's nothing wrong with having two elite wide receivers. We've seen guys like Jaylen Waddle and Tee Higgins thrive alongside Tyreek Hill and Ja'Marr Chase. As great as they are, nobody considers them one of the five best receivers in the league since they're the second option on their own team.

Jordan Addison is obviously nowhere near as proven as guys like Higgins and Waddle, but he showed in his rookie year that he has the talent necessary to be one of the best receivers in the NFL. He put up 70 receptions for 911 yards and ten touchdowns in his rookie year while being his team's second or third option for most of the year. Yes, he played well when Jefferson was injured, but most of his work came when the spotlight wasn't on his shoulders.

Addison can easily be one of, if not the best WR2 in the NFL, but he won't be a WR1 as long as Jefferson is around. He might get more open looks with Jefferson on the other side, but that's not what gets teams or fans to consider Addison as a league-changing receiver. Until he gets out of Jefferson's spotlight, those No. 1 targets won't be coming.

3) CeeDee Lamb and Ja'Marr Chase are dancing in the streets knowing they're next in line

Heading into the offseason, three of the best receivers in football were seeking massive paydays. Sure, guys like Jaylen Waddle and Nico Collins were too, but they're in a lesser tier. Guys like Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, and Ja'Marr Chase were looking for absurd money. Now that Jefferson just got the deal he got, the prices for Lamb and Chase only went up.

Lamb has been among the best wideouts in the league ever since he debuted in the same year as Jefferson but just had his best season in 2023. The 25-year-old recorded a league-high 135 receptions for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns, finishing as a first-team All-Pro for the first time. While Chase wasn't quite as dynamic this past season as he was in his rookie year, he has proven that he's one of the best five receivers in football.

Lamb and Chase watching Jefferson get his money now has them excited for what they can get financially. Even if they don't earn more than Jefferson, they'll at least get around what Jefferson got, which is historic money.

2) Teams that have yet to pay their high-end wide receivers are put in a tough spot

The Vikings were able to get Jefferson's deal done while teams like the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals have this massive cloud over their heads. That means that they, at the very least, got Jefferson for what will be market value very soon, if not a bargain.

The way extensions work in the NFL is the elite receivers set the market. Even if Jefferson is slightly better than guys like Lamb and Chase, Lamb and Chase now have the ability to command as much or even more money. That's simply how contracts work.

The more expensive these extensions will get, the worse it is for the teams. If you think extending Jefferson hurts financially for the Vikings, wait and see what happens when other high-end receivers get paid. He's the highest-paid for now, but his reign at the top might be short-lived.

1) Justin Jefferson got exactly what he wanted

Easily the biggest winner here is Justin Jefferson himself. Sure, he downgraded at quarterback going from Kirk Cousins to Sam Darnold/J.J. McCarthy, but he got himself paid. That's the bottom line.

Jefferson is not only the highest-paid non quarterback in the NFL currently, but he's the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. It remains to be seen how long that'll be the case, but for now, he can enjoy that. A large chunk of it is guaranteed too.

Jefferson finally got to cash in more than he ever could've imagined for the elite production he has given Minnesota for four seasons. He gets to remain with an organization he's comfortable with and is getting paid like one of the best players in league history.