Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson signed a four-year, $140 million contract extension, resetting the market for wide receivers. He leads the position in total and annual value ($35 million) and total guaranteed money ($110 million).
Jefferson also avoided much conflict, which cannot be said for his fellow wideout and former college teammate Ja’Marr Chase.
Chase is mired in a contract standoff with the Cincinnati Bengals.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that it was his understanding Chase sought to beat Jefferson by one penny. The Bengals star pushed back on that, saying he would not look to narrowly beat Jefferson’s deal.
“If I want to beat Justin Jefferson, I’m going to beat the s*** out of Justin. Not by a penny, brother,” Chase told reporters on September 6.
He also asserted his position in the NFL’s wide receiver hierarchy.
Chase was the No. 5 overall pick of the 2021 draft while Jefferson was No. 22 overall in 2020. He has scored four more receiving touchdowns in his first three seasons than Jefferson had through his, though the latter appeared in five more games. Chase also has four more carries.
The Vikings star has the edge in receptions and receiving yards as well as owning two more All-Pro selections with three total.
Jefferson was the 2022 NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
Jefferson expressed his support for Chase in a recent interview with NFL media personality Kay Adams. But he also offered a word of advice, telling his former teammate not to “play it smart.” Jefferson warned against letting it keep him from performing on the field.
Jefferson said he would be happy for Chase even if the Bengals were to beat his contract with the Vikings. He did not reveal to Adams what he would tell Chase if that happened, though
“I’m not gonna say what I really want to say,” Jefferson joked on the “Up & Adams” show on September 5. “But it’s always congratulations. It’s always love, especially on my end about my brothers that is making good in this league and making a name for themselves. And we always talked about that. We always talked about it in the receiving room at LSU and said that we were able to be on that same platform as some of the top guys that were in the league while we were watching the film.
“To see it all come come come to life and for us to fulfill our dreams is definitely heartwarming.”
Insider Walks Back Ja’Marr Chase-Justin Jefferson Comments
“My understanding is the two sides are still discussing a potential long-term extension that, if he got it, would make him either tied for the highest-paid receiver with Justin Jefferson or beating Justin Jefferson by one cent, which I believe is, in fact, the goal by Ja’Marr Chase,” Rapoport said on “The Insiders” on August 27.
Rapoport later walked back the tone of his comments in a later edition of the show. The update came after the San Francisco 49ers signed Brandon Aiyuk to a four-year, $120 million contract.
Aiyuk also received $76 million in total guarantees.
“I was joking about him wanting one cent more than Justin Jefferson,” Rapoport said on the August 29 episode of the show. “But not really, really joking because I actually do think in some ways if the structure is right, that would actually get it done.”
Justin Jefferson Has Sights Set on Bigger Goals
Jefferson has his contract situation all sorted out and is on a historic pace to start his career. He has no issues speaking about what is next for him.
“Super Bowl,” Jefferson told Heavy Sports in an interview published on September 5. “That’s the main goal. And bringing winning habits to this organization. We definitely don’t like going home during the playoffs every single year, not being a part of a Super Bowl team, and to hold that ring on our fingers at the end of the day.
Jefferson acknowledged that it is going to take everyone on the roster coming together to make his Super Bowl dreams a reality. But he also expressed excitement about the new pieces the Vikings have added to the roster.
