07 March 2024 , 02:00
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Justin Jefferson may have gained leverage in contract talks with the Minnesota Vikings after wide receiver Mike Evans agreed a new deal this past week.
After the Tampa Bay Buccaneers struck up a pricey contract with fellow wide receiver Mike Evans, it seems like Jefferson could be in for a huge payday. Earlier this week, Evans signed two-year contract worth a reported $52 million as the NFC South winners tried to keep their key players for the 2024 NFL season. The 30 year old has managed over 1,000 yards in each of his first 10 seasons, and in 2023, he achieved 1,255 yards and an NFL-high 13 touchdowns.
Evans was about to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, but general manager Jason Licht made sure he didn't go to the highest bidder. The Vikings will surely want to do the same with Jefferson.
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Despite missing seven games last season due to a hamstring injury, Jefferson shone in 2022 when he caught an NFL-best 128 passes for a league-leading 1,809 yards and eight touchdowns. These achievements were Vikings franchise records and earned him the title of Offensive Player of the Year.
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Jefferson is considered one of the top receivers in the world. At only 24, he's set to be the highest-earning pass catcher in NFL history.
This isn't too surprising when you consider his record: he's pulled down the most yards ever by a player in their first four seasons (5,899), and in 2023, he became only the third player ever to pull down 1,000 yards in just ten games, with an average of 107.4 yards per game.
Mike Evans decision could have implications for Justin Jefferson's huge Minnesoa Vikings contract (Getty Images)Jefferson knows what he brings to the team, and he's aware the Vikings don't want to let go of their star offensive player. The team has already traded two of its best receivers, Randy Moss (2005), and Stefon Diggs (2020), so fans won't be happy if they lose Jefferson too.
At the moment, the leading salary for a receiver in the NFL belongs to Miami Dolphins superstar Tyreek Hill who earns $30 million per year; only 16 quarterbacks earned more. Evans, who's been picked for the Pro Bowl five times and sits on the All-Pro second team, now sits fourth among all players at the position with $26 million per year.
During Super Bowl media week, SiriusXM asked if he wanted to "break the bank." Jefferson couldn't help but laugh.
“I want to break the bank, and I want to be a part of an organization that wants me and to really give me what I deserve,” Jefferson said. "So I feel like eventually the Vikings will do what they need to do to have me in the building. But I don't really know at this very moment, you know? Only time will tell.”