Justin Jefferson contract details, grade: Vikings break the bank and then some
By Mark Powell
The Minnesota Vikings have signed Justin Jefferson to the massive contract extension he was promised. After selecting rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah couldn't afford to let his top weapon walk away from the organization.
Jefferson isn't just the best wide receiver in Minnesota, he's the best weapon in the NFL when healthy. The only players who rival Jefferson at his position are arguably Tyreek Hill, or his fellow Bayou Bengal Ja'Marr Chase.
The rest of the NFL was waiting on Jefferson's contract, as it should set the market for some of the top-rated wide receivers in football like CeeDee Lamb, Chase and Hill, all three of whom want new contracts in the months to come.
Justin Jefferson contract details: Vikings sign star WR to record-breaking contract
The Vikings future officially depends on a JJ-to-JJ connection. Per Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Jefferson's new contract will pay him $140 million over four years, which is good for a $35 million AAV. Perhaps the most important number to Jefferson, who plays a demanding position, is the $110 million in guaranteed money. Jefferson is now the highest-paid non-QB in the entire league.
🚨 🚨 🚨
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 3, 2024
The #Vikings and All-Pro WR Justin Jefferson have a new deal to reset the WR market and make him the NFL’s highest-paid non-QB, sources tell me & @TomPelissero.
It’s a mammoth, 4-year extension worth $140M — $35M per year — with $110M guaranteed. 💰 💰 💰 😱 pic.twitter.com/g8Tk8DbLmj
Grading the Vikings Justin Jefferson contract
The Vikings were between a rock and a hard place with the Jefferson deal. The longer Adofo-Mensah and the Minnesota front office waited, the more they'd have to pay a player of Jefferson's caliber. Given the Vikes let Kirk Cousins walk to the Atlanta Falcons this offseason, they had plenty of money to play with. Jefferson becomes the highest-paid player on Minnesota's roster, putting even more pressure on Kevin O'Connell to win with a young QB on a rookie deal so the Viking can continue to add pieces around their JJ-to-JJ connection.
Jefferson's recent injury history doesn't help matters, as he missed seven games this past season and finished well under his career marks. When healthy, Jefferson is the best wide receiver in the NFL, but missing games cannot become a theme moving forward.
Vikings grade: B
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