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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is one of the best players at his position in the National Football League, and with the team holding all of the cards in terms of the superstars next contract, waiting too long could sour the relationship, says Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.
It's rumored that the team will wait to extend Jefferson as he has two years left on his rookie contract; it pays him $2.4 million in 2023 and $19.7 million in 2024, obviously nowhere near what he is worth.
“For starters, the price is only going to keep going up and up. Every team that has ever waited to sign a great player has ended up spending more to later sign him,” wrote Florio on Thursday.
“Unless, of course, the player suffers a serious injury or loses his fastball. Does anyone think Justin Jefferson is suddenly going to morph into Troy Williamson? Then there's the possibility that the foot-dragging will upset the good-natured Jefferson, making him decide that he wants out. That he wants to play elsewhere.”
Jefferson has already skipped the voluntary portion of the Vikings' offseason program, including all of their OTAs, as his agent continues to negotiate a deal that could make him the highest-paid non-QB in the NFL.
Minnesota has time before that contract needs to be completed, but Florio believes that the longer it drags on, the worse it will be for the relationship.
“To the Vikings, tread lightly. While the squeaky wheel gets the grease, taking a smoothly-spinning wheel for granted could cause it to suddenly fly off the axle,” asserts Florio.
“They have a rare talent in Jefferson. They should be treating him that way. There's no reason not to. And if/when they wake up one day with another Randy Moss or Percy Harvin or Stefon Diggs who end up being sent elsewhere for one or more draft picks, the Vikings will have only themselves to blame.”
Still, the 24-year-old star isn't too worried about the new contract just yet.
“[Negotiations] happen every single year,” he said last week. “It's not something that's new towards the game. Eventually, we knew we were going to have to talk contract.”
The All-Pro wide receiver has already pledged that he will be with the team when training camp opens in July — whether or not he has agreed to a contract extension by then.
