Justin Jefferson Vying For Contract Extension That Would Pay Him Like Some QBs

Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson is making his case for not only becoming the NFL's highest-paid non-quarterback, but has taken his salary demands to a stratosphere previously reserved for quarterbacks.

And the club, obviously, has not quite been there yet.

So Jefferson is employing the only recourse he and all NFL players seeking a new contract have this time of year: He's skipping at least parts of his team's organized team activities.

Roll call attendance of OTAs are major stories around the NFL this time of year. We spend a lot of time checking to see who showed up to OTAs and who didn't, because an absence is often a sign from players seeking new contracts about how they believe the negotiations are going. 

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 10: Justin Jefferson attends Michael Rubin's Fanatics Super Bowl party at the Marquee Nightclub at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on February 10, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Jefferson In The Company Of QBs

This year is no different. Contracts are generally driving OTA attendance.

It is certainly true for Jefferson. He is expecting to blow past the $34 million per year San Francisco's Nick Bosa averages annually as the NFL's highest paid non-quarterback. 

He has previously turned down a proposal that would make him the highest-paid receiver in the NFL on an annual average, although that number has since risen, with Eagles receiver A.J. Brown recently agreeing to a deal that pays $32 million on an annual average. 

And as salaries for some non-quarterback positions rise, one source said Jefferson wants to be paid like some quarterbacks.

At one point in the negotiation he wanted to reach the $40 million per year mark on an annual average, according to the source. It's unclear if that is still where the talks are centered. 

Jefferson also wants to do a deal that includes fully guaranteed money that is at or close to $100 million, another source told OutKick.

The annual average mark would put Jefferson in the general company of what Dak Prescott, Matthew Stafford and Daniel Jones are averaging in their current deals. 

The guaranteed money would put Jefferson in the Josh Allen, Kirk Cousins, Kyler Murray range.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 07: Justin Jefferson #18 of the Minnesota Vikings runs the ball up the field after a catch during the first half of a game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on January 07, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

Is Justin Jefferson Worth It?

And that raises questions. Is Justin Jefferson worth it? And can the Vikings afford it?

Jefferson, 25 next month, had something of a rough season in 2023. Yes, he averaged over 100 receiving yards per game for the second consecutive season. And his 68 catches for 1,074 yards would please most good receivers.

But Jefferson has previously been more than that. He's been prolific in that his 5,899 receiving yards are the most in league history throughout a player's first four seasons.

Jefferson is easily Minnesota's most dynamic player the past four seasons. 

That remained true even after a down year in 2023 when a right hamstring injury forced him to miss seven games and Minnesota's quarterback play was plagued by an Achilles injury to Kirk Cousins and inconsistency among the backups.

The sides have been working on an extension for months with the exception being something of a break during the draft process. 

General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah of the Minnesota Vikings speaks to the media during the NFL Combine, mentioning the role Justin Jefferson has in team-building. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Vikings GM: JJ Is ‘King Linchpin’

And throughout the negotiations, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has made it clear he wants to get a deal done that both sides can celebrate.

"We have our process, and either way, whenever we sign him, we want Justin to have his whole week. You know that friend that has a birthday that takes the month? I think Justin would deserve his whole month if we signed a contract, to celebrate it," Adofo-Mensah said last month. 

"So you know, we’re excited to work toward it. We’re going to keep going. You can’t have all these plans where you talk about all these visions and not talk about the king linchpin, so we’re going to keep working toward that end goal."

Jefferson can be considered Minnesota's "king linchpin" because the Vikings have and eventually plan to start a quarterback on his rookie contract.

The Vikings drafted Michigan's J.J. McCarthy in the first round last month and because he's not making anywhere close to the money established veteran quarterbacks do, the Vikings can use the savings elsewhere.

Like on Jefferson.

The Vikings are in the middle of the pack of teams on their salary cap space. But in 2025 they will have room to fit a sizable Jefferson extension if they so desire, because they figure to be among the top five teams in cap space at around $68 million, per overthecap.com.

Jefferson, it should be noted, is still under contract for this coming season. He's scheduled to make $19.7 million on the fifth-year option which the Vikings exercised last year.

So even if no deal is done in time, Jefferson will have to report to Minnesota's mandatory veteran minicamp and training camp or risk being fined.

Neither side hopes that is the case.