Grading a Vikings-Steelers trade with Justin Jefferson replacing George Pickens

We have reached the point in the offseason when stalled contract talks are upgraded from a latent distraction to an actual problem. Justin Jefferson still has not inked the historic long-term extension we all expect from the Minnesota Vikings. As rookie QB J.J. McCarthy gets up to speed in OTAs, it would behoove the Vikings to cement their WR room as soon as possible.

The common thinking has been that Minnesota will eventually lock up Jefferson. But, according to Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Minnesota very nearly pivoted away from Jefferson in the NFL Draft. There was "buzz" about the Vikings moving up from No. 11 to No. 5 to effectively replace Jefferson with Malik Nabers.

That obviously didn't happen, but it signals a potential willingness — or maybe even a desire — to reset the Vikings' competitive timeline. Jefferson isn't exactly old at 24 years old, but it doesn't make sense to dish out the largest WR contract in NFL history when the team isn't equipped to win. Jefferson will sap away significant financial flexibility if Minnesota re-signs him and the Vikings' QB depth chart is rife with uncertainty. McCarthy is inexperienced even by rookie standards and Sam Darnold is more or less a career backup at this point. That does not sound like the best recipe for team-building.

It's not hard to mount an argument in favor of re-upping Jefferson, who is arguably the best wideout in the NFL at 24 years old. Keep him around and figure it out. That is the stance some will take. It's a completely valid position.

If the Vikings do end up floating Jefferson on the trade market, however, the most obvious landing spot is a few clicks east with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Few NFL offenses need a shot in the arm like the Steelers. Jefferson would be more than sufficient.

Steelers-Vikings trade to pair Justin Jefferson and Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh

This trade was proposed by Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine. It's a fairly simple concept, with Pittsburgh packaging its own top wideout — 23-year-old George Pickens — and significant draft capital to land the most explosive playmaker in the NFL.

Is it a fair concept? Yeah, probably.

NFL trades are often mercurial, ever-changing beasts. The NFL Draft goes seven rounds deep and the success of a trade centered on draft picks will ultimately come down to the front office's ability to evaluate young talent. Rarely do we see trades that involve valuable draft picks and impact players going the same direction. With Justin Jefferson, however, it will take a true godfather offer.

The Steelers plug Jefferson into Arthur Smith's scheme (hmmm) and give Russell Wilson (or Justin Fields) an after-the-catch monster. That's good business. Mike Tomlin never finishes below .500 and hardly ever misses the playoffs, and Jefferson will help continue that streak. He doesn't need elite QB play to create fissures in the defense and generate explosive gains.

As for Minnesota, it's hard to deny the scope of this return. George Pickens isn't Justin Jefferson, but he's a year younger with plenty of untapped potential. He went for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns last season, averaging 18.1 yards per catch. He got into some trouble off the field with thinly-veiled social media critiques, but most wideouts are happier under Kevin O'Connell than Matt Canada. There are scientific studies to prove it.

The Vikings return a bona fide WR1 that is on the same general timeline as their rookie quarterback, plus two valuable future picks to build out the roster even further. It is a short-term step back, but if McCarthy pans out and Pickens continues to improve, the Vikings won't be complaining in the long run. Pickens will need his own extension soon, but it won't approach the same price point as Jefferson.

This is a lot for the Steelers to give up and the Vikings are still probably going to re-sign Jefferson. Generally, letting the best wide receiver of a generation walk doesn't end well. But, in a world where these trade talks are bound to happen on some level, it's a pretty reasonable arrangement.

Vikings grade: C+
Steelers grade: B+