San Francisco defensive end Nick Bosa ended his holdout Wednesday and signed a massive new deal that could have big implications on the Vikings’ future.
Bosa’s new five-year, $170 million extension with the 49ers makes him the highest paid defensive player of all time and at $34 million a year the highest annual value for a non-QB in league history. Enter Vikings all-world receiver Justin Jefferson.
Jefferson is heading into year four of his rookie contract and is widely expected to reset the receiver market with his contract extension with the Vikings, and possibly the non-QB market as well. Minnesota still has Jefferson under contract through the 2024 season after picking up his fifth-year option.
If Jefferson does reset the non-QB market, then the Vikings will be shelling out upwards of $35 million a year for their 24-year-old receiver. The Vikings paid Kirk Cousins $35 million per year on his most recent deal.
“The situation is different in the way that Bosa was on his fifth year option and needed a contract now whereas Jefferson can wait until next year if he wants to keep pushing the price up as much as possible,” Purple Insider’s Matthew Coller told Bring Me The Sports. “Still, this contract tells us that the bar is going to continue being pushed up for elite position players and that’s a good thing for Jefferson.”
If the Vikings and Jefferson are unable to come to terms on a new deal ahead of Sunday’s season opener, the wait could linger into next offseason and have Vikings fans wondering about a new QB as well as the future of their star receiver.
