The San Francisco 49ers were among the teams that reportedly reached out to the Vikings about trading for Justin Jefferson before the star receiver put pen to paper on a record new deal Monday.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, trade talks "never got close," as the Vikings were quick to bat away any and all talks of potentially trading the best receiver in the league.
"Some teams reached out," Schefter reported on the latest episode of his podcast. "The New York Jets reached out about Justin Jefferson. The Indianapolis Colts reached out about Justin Jefferson, you know that? The 49ers reached out about Justin Jefferson, you know that?"
The Steelers also contacted Minnesota about Jefferson before the draft, according to a report out of Pittsburgh.
Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has been adamant throughout his tenure in Minnesota that he wanted to keep Jefferson in purple and gold. Adofo-Mensah said "there was never a second in my mind that we weren't going to be here" when discussing the extension with media this week.
The Vikings and Jefferson agreed to a record-setting four-year, $140 million deal Monday. The contract, which includes $110 million in guaranteed money, makes Jefferson not only the highest-paid receiver in league history but also the highest-paid non-QB in league history.
Jefferson has developed into arguably the best receiver in the NFL since being taken with the 22nd pick in the 2020 NFL draft. He has caught 392 passes for 5,899 yards and 30 touchdowns in his four years in the league.
