Embedded Files
As a lifelong Giants fan, watching the Giants beat the Vikings in the playoffs in 2022, marking our first playoff appearance since 2016, was a sight to see. However, following the Vikings over the last few years, one cannot help but notice the generational talent that is Justin Jefferson. Since his rookie season in 2020, he has consistently had over 1,000 receiving yards with the Vikings. He is the face of the franchise and the top playmaker for the team.
It is not uncommon for these LSU receivers to be as effective as they have been; the culture in their CFB division produced the likes of OBJ and Jarvis Landry. Currently, we also have Ja’Marr Chase and now arriving in New York, Malik Nabers.
However, JJ has made headway from his LSU counterparts by becoming the highest-paid non-QB in the NFL. His 4-year contract is worth 140 million dollars, with 110 million of it guaranteed. This means the Vikings value him enough to pay the man 110 million dollars even if he has a season-ending injury in the first game of the 2024 season.
From the perspective of purely gameplay, I feel that JJ does deserve the money. It is about time teams stop pretending like they do not have this money, especially with how dangerous the sport is becoming. It is very important that players have financial security. Yet, long-term deals like this do become scary if the player faces an abrupt lack in performance, and suddenly the money does not seem worth it.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) loses the ball after getting hit by New York Giants safety Xavier McKinney (29) in the third quarter of a NFL Wildcard Round game against the New York Giants at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2022. The Giants beat the Vikings, 31-24. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Using the Giants as an example, I can tell you that this is possible. Kenny Golladay was one of the highest-paid receivers in the league with his 79 million dollar contract (40 million guaranteed) with the Giants. Management anticipated a new star receiver who ended up becoming a deadweight, and in his last year with the Giants, produced nothing but an average performance as a backup wide receiver. Currently, the Giants may be facing a similar blunder with the 160 million dollar extension they just gave to Daniel Jones last year. After the disastrous 2023 season, it is proving to be a mistake as Jones is now unreliable and injury-prone.
While it is important to invest in the long-term future of a franchise, offering contracts of this high value comes with the risk of a negative return on investment. Even if players are giving their all, sometimes things such as injuries or team chemistry can get in the way of their performance. The Vikings' QB situation seriously impacts the value of Jefferson's contract. If he does not have a reliable ball thrower, then whether it is his fault or not, he will not be able to be used as anticipated. Currently, Sam Darnold, who has only been a backup as of late, is in the QB room with first-round pick J.J. McCarthy. While it is good to have a veteran QB like Darnold in the room, he has never had notable postseason success like the other QBs in the division.
McCarthy, as a first-round pick, was controversial to many. Although he recently won the National Championship, he also had only 140 passing yards. While he definitely has QB talent, he has also had the powerhouse that is UMICH behind him and is known for handing the ball off to his trusty running backs Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards. This being said, if he plans to adopt this same strategy on the Vikings, it would mean Jefferson receives fewer targets and opportunities to prove himself on the field.
Justin Jefferson, as talented as he is, needs to have a reliable QB to throw him the ball, or else his efforts and talent may go to waste, not to mention becoming a financial deadweight to the Vikings.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse