The Vikings probably wish they’d gotten receiver Justin Jefferson signed to a second contract before Friday. Whether they ever will remains to be seen.
The one fundamental truth about giving one of your own great players the contract he deserves is that the price will always go up if you wait. Always. As of Friday, with the salary cap shooting to $255.4 million per team, Jefferson’s price goes up even higher.
We’ve heard for nearly a year that the structure is a big part of the problem. The Vikings broke from their tendency to not fully guarantee dollars beyond the first year of a player’s contract for players other than Kirk Cousins last year with tight end T.J. Hockenson. Presumably, they’d use a similar structure with Jefferson, with the first two years fully guaranteed and the third year flipping to fully guaranteed at the start of the second year.
Does Jefferson want three years fully guaranteed at signing? (He should.) Does he want to be the highest paid receiver in the NFL, exceeding the $30 million per year that the Dolphins are paying receiver Tyreek Hill? (Even if it’s not really a $30 million per year contract.)
Whatever he wanted before Friday, he surely wants more now. As explained after Jefferson visited with PFT Live at the Super Bowl, Jefferson has been very patient. At some point, his patience will run out.
He has earned a massive contract. He deserves it, from the Vikings or from someone who will give it to him.
It’s still unclear what will happen with Jefferson. Here’s what is clear. With each passing day, it’s going to get more and more and more expensive.
