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Let me start this here: I’m not reporting anything, and I am not adding any validity to reports that already out there. I’m just taking some reports that are out there and playing a fun game of “what if?”
I’m not saying this could happen or is even heading down a path towards happening. I’m saying “imagine if” this happens. Let’s face it, we are in the dog days of the offseason and I’m jonsing for some football.
Now that we have that out of the way, former All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson might be trying to get himself traded to the New York Jets.
Okay, okay I get it. No way it happens, right? Well, let’s do a little digging. Here’s what we know. Justin Jefferson is a star. He is arguably the best wide receiver in the game and is only going to be 25 years old when the season starts.
His current team, the Minnesota Vikings, are in the midst of a rebuild. They let Kirk Cousins walk in free agency to the Atlanta Falcons and drafted J.J. McCarthy in first round of the draft. McCarthy was the fifth quarterback taken in the draft out of Michigan. Former Jet Sam Darnold is penciled in as the starting quarterback, but everyone wants McCarthy to win the job in camp or at least by the Vikings’ BYE week, which is after they play the Jets in London in Week 5.
The Vikings are in a very competitive NFC North that will be a difficult division to navigate as the Lions, Packers and Bears could all make playoff runs. Minnesota let go of their star pass rusher Danielle Hunter in free agency and replaced him with another rookie, Dallas Turner out of Alabama.
Justin Jefferson is unhappy with his current contract status. Jefferson is approaching the last year of his five-year rookie contract and is due $19.7 million in 2024 on the fifth-year option exercised by the Vikings. He's earned $13.3 million on the previous four years of his contract. And to show his disappointment with the lack of progress towards an extension, he has decided to skip OTAs.
WR Justin Jefferson, who has been in talks with the Vikings regarding a contract extension, was not spotted at the team’s training facility today for the start of organized team activities, per team sources. pic.twitter.com/CveEKWYMWw
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 20, 2024
So, we have a rebuilding team with an unhappy wide receiver who wants a new deal. How do the Jets factor in? Well, apparently that’s where Justin Jefferson wass when he wass supposed to be at the Vikings facility.
Sources: Star WR Justin Jefferson was spotted in Florham Park, NJ, over the weekend, which is where the Jets facility is located.
— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) May 20, 2024
Jefferson is looking for a new contract with the Vikings. It’s possible MIN could trade him if they can’t come to terms on a new deal (opinion)
Now, this report isn’t saying that Jefferson was at the Jets facility, just that he was in Florham Park, NJ where the Jets facility happens to be. They also have a Moe’s Southwest Grill. He could have simply had lunch in the area. If he WERE visiting with the Jets, they would be in big trouble for tampering. The NFL is not shy about coming down hard on teams that tamper with players or coaches on other rosters.
But can you imagine if the Jets were interested in Justin Jefferson? And if Justin Jefferson were interested in the Jets? And if the Vikings were willing to part with the young receiver. Imagine an offense where your second-best option would be a number one on at least 25 other teams. Imagine the running game you could run with safeties playing 30 yards off the ball because they had to. Imagine a healthy Aaron Rodgers with more weapons than he has ever had in his career.
It's nice to think about.
Ultimately (to bring it back down to Earth), it can’t happen. The Jets don’t have the money or the assets even if Justin Jefferson were interested, and there is no reason at this point to think he is. What would the Jets have to give up for Jefferson. Considering they would have to sign him to a new deal, the price wouldn’t be as high as you would think, but it’s still at least a first-round pick.
What would the contract look like? AJ Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles and Amon-Ra St.Brown of the Detroit Lions both signed new deals this offseason that put their annual salary over $30 million a year. You would have to think that at 25-years-old Jefferson would have to eclipse that and by a fair margin.
The Jets currently have about $6.4 million in cap space. That’s not going to get Jefferson in the door. What would that also mean for Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner who are going to want new contracts next season as well? Say goodbye to guys like D.J. Reed and Michael Carter who will likely be cap casualties.
So have a good night sleep Jets fans and dream of Justin Jefferson high fiving Garrett Wilson after one of them just brought in the Super Bowl winning touchdown from Aaron Rodgers, because when you wake up, Jefferson will still be in Minnesota.
More must-reads:
- One-time Defensive Player of the Year open to reunion with former team
- Free-agent DB Stephon Gilmore addresses playing future
- The 'Multiple seasons with 2000+ scrimmage yards' quiz
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