Justin Jefferson will spend the rest of his 20s in Minnesota. He'll start 2024 as the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.
The Vikings agreed to terms on a four-year, $140 million extension with Jefferson on Monday, wrapping up nearly a year of negotiations with the 2022 NFL Offensive Player of the Year on a deal that could help form the foundation of their offense for the rest of coach Kevin O'Connell's tenure in Minnesota. Jefferson, whose 5,899 receiving yards are the most by any player in the first four years of his career, agreed to a deal that averages $35 million per season, surpassing 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa's $34 million average as the highest by a non-quarterback in the NFL. The contract, according to a source with knowledge of the situation, includes $110 million in guaranteed money.
"The time has finally come — the deal I've been waiting for since I was a little kid," Jefferson said in a message he posted to his Instagram account on Monday morning.
Jefferson's extension also solidifies the situation that rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy said was the envy of the 2024 QB draft class. It means McCarthy, the 10th pick in the 2024 draft, will develop with Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison all signed through at least 2026. Jefferson had caught all but two of his 30 NFL touchdown passes from Kirk Cousins, and spoke out in favor of the veteran's return toward the end of the 2023 season. But after Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million deal with Atlanta, O'Connell indicated Jefferson had seemed intrigued by the idea of mentoring a young QB.
His new deal runs through the end of the 2028 season, giving Jefferson time to develop the chemistry with McCarthy that he had with Cousins. Jefferson will hit free agency in March 2029, three months before his 30th birthday.
"We are elated to sign Justin, and I want to thank him, his family, his representation, our staff and the Wilf family for helping complete this monumental contract," Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said in a statement. "From the moment I arrived in Minnesota, Justin has consistently proven to be one of the best players in the NFL on and off the field, and we are excited about having him as a cornerstone of our team for a long time to come. He is the living embodiment of our culture with his joyful dedication to process and our goals. We couldn't be more excited for Justin and his family."
Jefferson was set to play the 2024 season on his fifth-year option, and the Vikings could have used the franchise tag to keep him off the open market in 2025. Jefferson had skipped the start of the Vikings' offseason program, as he did in 2023. But the team agreed to a deal with the receiver before the start of its mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, wrapping up the negotiations that started last offseason and stopped just short of the finish line the day before the 2023 regular-season opener.
Adofo-Mensah said this offseason the Vikings got "incredibly close" to a deal last September, and sources said last year the Vikings were offering a deal worth more than $30 million per season at the time. Despite optimism about an agreement the week before the season, the fact Jefferson was still two years away from free agency at the time meant both the receiver and the Vikings could be picky about the terms of a deal.
Five weeks after the Vikings and Jefferson paused contract talks for the 2023 season, Jefferson strained his right hamstring, missing the next seven games with the first injury of his career. He still finished the season over 1,000 yards, but missed the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career after being selected to the All-Pro first team in 2022. The injury underscored the risk he absorbed by playing without a contract; the Vikings won their first three games without him, but saw their production wane particularly after Cousins' torn Achilles forced them to play without their two offensive leaders.
While the full terms of Jefferson's contract weren't immediately available, it figures to include at least two fully guaranteed seasons, given the fact the Vikings gave Hockenson two years of full guarantees in the first major extension of Adofo-Mensah's tenure. Eagles receiver A.J. Brown and Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown got two fully guaranteed years from their teams in extensions signed this offseason. Those deals, with average salaries of $30-$32 million, helped reset the receiver market.
"Justin is an exceptionally talented player and an incredible person that I am honored to coach and have as a team captain," O'Connell said in a statement. "His positive energy and love for the game shows up every single day as he works to be the best at his craft. As coaches, we will do our part in helping him maximize his ability. I'm grateful to the Wilfs, Kwesi, [executive vice president of football operations] Rob Brzezinski, and our staff for ensuring one of the brightest stars in professional sports will continue his career as a Minnesota Viking."
