The Minnesota Vikings have officially locked up Justin Jefferson to a record-breaking $140 million deal. The move has sent shockwaves throughout the league, the full extent of which is yet to be made clear. However, the Vikings have little practical concern with that.
All they needed was to figure out a way to move their offense forward into 2024 and beyond.
NFL analyst Colin Cowherd named four specific reasons why the team decided to pull the trigger on the mammoth extension on his Monday edition of “The Herd with Colin Cowherd.”
“J.J. McCarthy is gonna need help and Justin Jefferson attracts double coverage… The Vikings have an offensive coach… The NFC is probably the best offensive division in football… The sport is telling you they want receivers to excel,” Cowherd said.
Colin Cowherd’s reasoning for massive $140 million extension runs deeper
To elaborate on Cowherd’s first point, Jefferson’s ability to attract double coverage on its own isn’t a selling point. Instead, it allows other receivers like Jordan Addison to get open in one-on-one situations. Put simply, it allows J.J. McCarthy easier throws to receivers that could be open more often.
In the second point, Cowherd alluded to Kevin O’Connell, who may have had a big role in the negotiation process between the Vikings and Jefferson.
Handing the offensively-minded coach an offensively-minded roster by spending more on that side of the ball is common in the NFL. Had a defensive-minded head coach like former headman Mike Zimmer been leading the team, Jefferson may have seen an exit.
He also mentioned that he believed the NFC North to be the “best division in football.”
Cowherd’s rankings may invite dissension from some about the declaration. However, it is not difficult to argue that the division is deep. Between the newly revamped Chicago Bears, Jordan Love-led Packers, and perhaps the strongest Lions team in 30 years, the Vikings have plenty of chances for competition. Signing Jefferson gives the team a fighting chance.
Lastly, he claimed the sport is “telling” fans that it wants “receivers to excel.”
Many have taken this stance with the sport over the last decade, claiming that Roger Goodell’s league is leaning toward offensive races instead of defensive struggles. Some point to the rules. Others point to players wanting the status that comes with being a receiver. As such, with more talent prioritizing the position, the position gets better and as players get better, they expect more money.
With Jefferson winning one of the most coveted prizes in sports in the form of money, the question transitions to when the next big receiver will get their next mega-deal. CeeDee Lamb and Ja’Marr Chase have been pegged by many to be the next big stars to watch. According to Spotrac, Lamb is heading into the final year of his deal. Meanwhile, Chase is heading into his penultimate year.
With both wide receivers squarely in their negotiation window and the biggest domino fallen, it seems like a matter of time until one of both gets new deals. However, how long will the next big deals come after Jefferson’s deal?
No matter what the ripple effects of Justin Jefferson’s new deal with the Vikings are, the franchise made the right move and should be very happy about it.
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