We’ve heard everything we can handle, save for a resolution, about the contract extension for star wide receiver Justin Jefferson. But there’s at least one person who thinks that Jefferson’s deal could prevent the Minnesota Vikings from signing his primary running mate in the future.
Randy Mueller of The Athletic has penned a piece about the wide receiver market in the National Football League, and seems to think that the Vikings signing Jefferson to a record-setting deal could prevent them from bringing back Jordan Addison in the future. Never mind the fact that Addison and the Vikings can’t even discuss a contract extension until after the 2025 season.
Here’s Mueller’s logic:
Jefferson is arguably the best receiver in the league, and Minnesota should certainly extend him. But the cost will tighten money to spend elsewhere, like on last year’s first-round pick, 22-year-old Jordan Addison, when his rookie deal ends. Of course, if the Vikings’ assessment of J.J. McCarthy proves accurate, a quality quarterback on a five-year rookie contract might be just what the doctor ordered. If I were running the Vikings, I would pay Jefferson and keep churning WR2 at the end of Addison’s deal.
There were four receivers taken in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, it isn’t a stretch to say that Addison had the best season, despite being pushed into the #1 spot after the injury to Jefferson. That experience should only help Addison going forward, and if he can continue to develop he might end up getting a pretty hefty contract extension from the Vikings when he’s eligible.
It’s not unprecedented for a team to have two highly-paid wide receivers. Honestly, it’s not even unprecedented for the Vikings to do so. The team had the tandem of Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen for several years and they were both incredibly productive. If the salary cap continues to go up at the rate it has been in recent years, the Vikings might not bat an eyelash at the idea of giving Addison a sizeable long-term deal.
Again, it’s worth pointing out that Addison will be under the Vikings’ control until at least 2026, and if they pick up his fifth-year option that will stretch through the 2027 season. It’s probably a bit early for Mr. Mueller (or anybody else) to start worrying about the team’s ability to keep Jordan Addison at this point.
