Do Not Rule Out an In-Season Justin Jefferson Contract Extension

The Minnesota Vikings are playing the Philadelphia Eagles as I start this blog and superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson is on the field, still without the long-term contract extension everyone expected him to have by now.

But the 2023 season already being in progress doesn’t necessarily kill a Jefferson deal, before next offseason. JJ was grilled by SKOR North’s Judd Zulgad, during Vikings player availability earlier this week, where Jefferson said in-season contract talks would be dependent on the team’s willingness to negotiate while games are being played.

Justin Jefferson Extension was very very close to happening last weekend

Then, Minnesota insider Darren ‘Doogie’ Wolfson (SKOR North, KSTP) and Zulgad both confirmed how extremely close the Vikings were to inking Jefferson to his long-anticipated extension last weekend, before their opening weekend loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“My understanding, from somebody directly involved [in the Justin Jefferson extension talks] from the Vikings side is that [the two sides] were very very close. Now, I get it, close doesn’t mean anything. Ultimately, Justin did not put pen to paper on Saturday. A deal did not get done. At different points, the Vikings thought the deal would get done.”

Darren Wolfson – Mackey & Judd (SKOR North)

But that wasn’t all Doogie had to say about the Jefferson contract situation. Given how many league insiders were hinting at the deal being signed last week, we all knew the two sides were really close to getting a deal done. But in his next breath, Wolfson turns to what happens next in the JJ contract saga.

Do not sleep on an in-season extension for JJ

Contrary to what was reported last weekend, Doogie says not to be surprised if the Jefferson extension happens sometime during the season. Probably not this week, given the two sides haven’t had any dialogue since the start of the season, but sometime before the 2023 regular season ends.

“I still see a deal getting done [before next offseason]. Yes, the optics suggest this is now being put off until March, and yes, there hasn’t been any new dialogue, is my understanding, but I’m not necessarily dismissing the idea of something potentially happening in-season. Both sides are still motivated to get a deal done.”

Darren Wolfson – Mackey & Judd (SKOR North)

Rembember, the sooner the Vikings sign Jefferson, the cheaper it will be. There’s no doubt JJ wants to be the highest paid non-QB in the league, when he does eventually ink his new contract. The longer Kwesi Adofo-Mensah waits, the more expensive it will be to fulfill JJ’s demand.

Doogie wonders whether or not Nick Bosa’s record-breaking deal last week had to do with Jefferson’s contract not getting done. He doesn’t think the delay on Hockenson’s extension, which did eventually get done, affected the Vikings ability to ink Jefferson.

Here is the full episode of Mackey & Judd. They begin the episode talking about when JJ’s contract extension might happen.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan