Minnesota Vikings superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson is in the midst of a holdout, and the three-time Pro Bowler could seek a trade if he doesn’t get the money he feels he deserves. A first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Jefferson has quickly established himself as arguably the best player at his position. Since entering the league, the wideout has recorded 392 receptions for 1,074 yards and five touchdowns while catching passes primarily from Kirk Cousins. Injuries limited him to 10 games last year, but the LSU product still eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark despite the extended absence and the presence of quarterbacks Nick Mullens, Josh Dobbs, and Jarren Hall.
With Cousins now in Atlanta and a rookie quarterback soon to be under center, the Justin Jefferson holdout should produce immediate results. The former All-Pro skipped offseason workouts in April and was not present for the first day of OTA’s.
Justin Jefferson Continues Holdout, Could Seek Trade
Chances are, the Justin Jefferson holdout will end with a massive, record-setting extension. With Cousins and his contract off the books, the LSU product is now the face of the franchise and is an elite core player at one of the most important positions in the game. Additionally, Jefferson’s presence should help rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy adjust to life in the NFL. In recent years, guys like Stefon Diggs, Tyreek Hill, and A.J. Brown have helped turn Josh Allen, Tua Tagovailoa, and Jalen Hurts into franchise quarterbacks, and Jefferson could do the same for McCarthy.
Justin Jefferson will break the bank, and if he doesn’t end his holdout with the Vikings, some other team will happily trade a first-round pick or two for the wide receiver’s services. Now entering his age-25 season, the LSU product should have at least 5-7 more years of elite play left in his tank, and every single team could use a weapon like him. Whether it’s adding him as the final piece to a Super Bowl contender or helping a young quarterback develop, these five franchises should be interested in a trade.
Possible Destinations
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers parted ways with Mike Williams and Keenan Allen not because Jim Harbaugh doesn’t appreciate wide receivers, but because their high salaries didn’t justify their projected value to the offense. Los Angeles selected three wide receivers in the NFL Draft, which shows that this team understands they need more talent to support Justin Herbert. The odds of all three players panning out are slim to none, so Los Angeles should be interested in trading for Justin Jefferson and ending his holdout. This won’t be a cheap transaction by any stretch of the imagination, but it will give the Chargers the firepower to keep up with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers won’t win the Super Bowl this year even if they trade for Justin Jefferson, but ending his holdout could be the best way to see what Bryce Young can do at the NFL level. The Alabama product is coming off a statistical nightmare of a rookie season, but the Panthers didn’t give him the tools to succeed. While Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette will help, Carolina could use a superstar like Jefferson. As mentioned above, veteran receivers helped turn borderline starters into franchise quarterbacks in the past, and perhaps the three-time Pro Bowler can do the same for Young.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have the talent to go on a deep postseason run, but they need to find the final piece of their Super Bowl puzzle. Lamar Jackson is a two-time MVP, but that hasn’t been enough to get this team past the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs. Baltimore is in a bit of a salary cap pickle, so they’d need to get creative to pay Justin Jefferson and end his holdout. However, if they can make the financial aspect work, this offense could be unstoppable.
New England Patriots
The Patriots have hope for the future with quarterback Drake Maye. However, if they want the North Carolina product to pan out, they must do something to support him. New England arguably has the worst group of wide receivers in the league, and while Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker have promise, this team could use a proven commodity at the position. New England has over $50 million in cap space and can easily afford to end the Justin Jefferson holdout with a record-setting contract.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs enter the 2024 season looking to make history as the first organization to win three consecutive Super Bowls. With Rashee Rice being an idiot, Kansas City could use another set of hands if they want to accomplish this goal. The trio of Travis Kelce, Marquise Brown, and Xavier Worthy is intimidating, but each player comes with their own question marks. Justin Jefferson is the closest thing to a can’t-miss option as you can get and could terrorize the league with Mahomes for the next decade.
Main Photo: Jamie Germano – USA Today Sports
