The Cost For Justin Jefferson Doesn’t Matter
Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
Excitement, disappointment, and fear. These are all emotions I feel before hitting my driver off the first tee box (man, my golf game could use some work). These are also emotions expressed throughout the Minnesota Vikings fanbase as the news broke that Justin Jefferson had signed a new multi-year contract extension.
On the surface, you may be asking: Why would anyone feel disappointed or afraid? Then you look at the price tag, and yikes, the numbers are staggering. $140 million over four years, with $110 million of that in guaranteed money. That averages out to be $35 Million per year, the largest contract given to a non-quarterback in NFL history.
It’s understandable if you find yourself feeling worried Jefferson’s new deal will limit the Vikings ability to compete and spend money in the future. Don’t be afraid, though! There’s plenty to be excited about and ultimately, the numbers are (probably) nothing to worry about. Let’s dig in.
Okay, so, let’s be real for a minute. Yes, the team sagged under the weight of Kirk Cousins tad-too-expensive deal. Cousins was making, on average, $28.5 million per season at the end of his tenure in purple. Still, it wasn’t that $28.5 million too high a price to pay for a top-tier quarterback, it was that the price tag was too much for Cousins. Jefferson might make a ton of money, but you can’t argue he’s not a top receiver in the league.
Minnesota’s financial woes were headlined by, but went beyond overpaying their quarterback. Beyond Cousins’ inflated cap hit, the Vikings also had some aging stars with bloated contacts of their own, compounding their problems. The landscape has changed a lot since the end of last season.
In 2024, Minnesota will presumably be led by Lego Movie star Sam Darnold, who’s making $10 million on a one-year contract. Sure, Danielle Hunter departing was a blow, but losing Hunter’s contract? That was a win. The Vikings getting younger and more importantly, cheaper. On top of all of this, there is one major X-factor that helps off-set: J.J. McCarthy.
This kid wins. He’s won at every level of football he’s played at in his young career. But almost as importantly, he’s also super cheap. McCarthy will likely play under his rookie contract for at least the next three seasons. Take Darnold’s $10 million freight off the books after this year and that creates a plethora of cap space. Not just cap space, but cap space typically allocated to the most important position on the football field.
We’ve seen this play out time and time again in the NFL. Teams can build around satellite superstars like Jefferson while they have the ability to rely on a young, cheap QB prospect. Of course, all of this rides on McCarthy’s ability to produce at a competitive level. Luckily, there’s one very good reason to believe he can: the exceptional structure already in place for him to succeed.
Take Jefferson, who can single-handedly raise a quarterback’s level, out of the discussion for a moment. McCarthy still is in the best situation any rookie QB could ask for. Kevin O’Connell has proven to be a master at crafting an offense around a QB’s strengths. Look at how Cousins’ best years as a professional were with O’Connell. Incredibly, “KOC” made even made Josh Dobbs look like a diamond in the rough over the course of a game and a half. The Vikings hired O’Connell to be the guy to develop their next quarterback, so stability at coach is all but guaranteed for McCarthy.
McCarthy also has an array of secondary weapons to throw to in Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson. Addison — also on a rookie contract — scored 10 touchdowns in his first season and accumulated 911 yards. Hockenson hauled in 75% of his 127 targets, setting career-highs with 95 catches, 960 yards, and 48 first downs. The offensive line, led by Christian Darrisaw, is capable of protecting McCarthy from pressure.
If McCarthy does his part, he’ll flourish on the cheap, and that will offset the impact of Jefferson’s price tag. His new contract is nothing to fear, and is probably the biggest reason for optimism in the future. You think Jefferson couldn’t have gotten an insane contract somewhere else? He absolutely could have. He re-signed not because the Vikings bought into him, but because he’s bought into them.
Do you think Jefferson wants to take the DeAndre Hopkins career path, being the only superstar on perpetually terrible teams with inconsistent QB play? Absolutely not. Jefferson doesn’t have a crystal ball, but he’s seen enough to have confidence that this new duo can do great things. Vikings fans should be here for it, and the league should officially be on notice.
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