Minnesota Vikings star receiver Justin Jefferson made it clear Thursday he would like a new contract but he’s leaving “all of that stuff up to them.”
Speaking to media ahead of his fourth season in the NFL, Jefferson said he “would want a contract to be done” but “at the end of the day it is all up to them and what the ownership wants to do.”
Jefferson still has two years left on his rookie deal after the Vikings picked up his fifth-year option. When asked if it’s easy to disconnect from extension talks and focus on the game, Jefferson responded, “It’s a part of the game. You can’t really say you don’t think about it and you can’t really say you do think about it.”
“There’s a part of me that does think about and there’s a part of me that doesn’t,” the 24-year-old superstar said. “Of course, I love the game and I want to be apart of the team and be here with my teammates. So, that’s the main focus that I have and [I will] let everybody else handle their job. My goal is to win this season and be the best receiver, like always.”
The three-time pro bowler is widely expected to reset the receiver market with his contract. It’s also been speculated that Jefferson’s new deal could reset the market for non-quarterbacks. The numbers to reset the non-QB market changed Wednesday when defensive end Nick Bosa signed a contract with the 49ers that will pay him an average of $34 million per year for five years. Asked if Bosa’s new deal has any impact on his talks with the Vikings, Jefferson didn’t really say yes or no.
“There’s so many opinions, so many different things towards it, you know, who should be the highest paid non-quarterback, or not,” continued Jefferson. “And again, it’s still not my job to control how that goes. My job is to do what I can control, which is on the field. I’m just ready for this Sunday, to play the football game and get back to football. That’s my main focus.”
Perhaps the boldest of Jefferson’s comments came when he was asked if he’s received any advice from other players who have gone through his situation.
“I mean, I’m in a different situation,” Jefferson responded. “I’ve done something that no one has ever done in the history of the game. So, my situation is a little bit different than everybody else’s. Of course, I’m going into my fourth year, trying to talk about contracts two-years earlier. There’s so many different parts that are going towards it. That’s where I kind of leave it up to my agent and just, you know, keep my mind set on the field. That’s what I continue to do and, of course, I want to start off this week good with Tampa.”
Jefferson’s 4,825 yards and 324 receptions through his first three season are the best three-year start by a receiver in league history. The 1,809 receiving yards Jefferson hauled in in 2022 set a new Vikings record, breaking a 19-year-old record set by Randy Moss.
The Vikings kick off the 2023 season Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
