The trade theories were never real.
Adam Schefter Updates the Justin Jefferson Trade Theories
If the Minnesota Vikings possessed any desire to trade phenom wideout Justin Jefferson, they would’ve done so during the 2024 NFL Draft when the club sought a new quarterback.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Minnesota never had Jefferson even remotely in the trade bucket. Schefter joined The Pat McAfee Show this week, and show co-host Connor Campbell wanted to know the best trade offer flung at the New England Patriots. Inconveniently for some, Minnesota’s would-be trade package never included Jefferson.
“Connor wants me to say the Vikings offered Justin Jefferson to get up to No. 3, No, they did not. They offered various pick packages to get up there. The Vikings had the most discussions with the Patriots … Clearly, the Patriots were determined to stick where they were,” Schefter said.
Shortly before the draft, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reignited Jefferson-themed trade theories, suggesting the 2022 Offensive Player of the Year could be traded during the draft to the Washington Commanders or New England Patriots for a quarterback like LSU’s Jayden Daniels.
“The clock keeps ticking. The draft is coming. Could the end result be Jefferson plus the 11th pick to the Commanders for the Jayden Daniels pick? Jefferson plus No. 11 to the Patriots for No. 3? The Vikings can end that narrative by making the investment in Jefferson, now. Until they do, it’s possible that they’ll give up and trade him — and it’s definite that the price will keep increasing,” Florio wrote.
Jefferson is expected to break the bank before too long and become the wealthiest wide receiver in NFL history. He may even earn the largest paycheck for a non-quarterback ever.
Florio added, “If they intend to pay him, what’s the delay? It won’t get cheaper over time. The best thing to do is to just do it now, make him happy, and move forward. And if, after months of negotiations, the Vikings realize they’re never going to make him happy, they need to send him to someone who will. The Vikings are clearly exasperated by the situation.”
Ultimately, Florio’s rumblings were flatly wrong, and Jefferson will be extended by the Vikings before too long. Vikings general manager Adofo-Mensah answered a question about Jefferson’s contract status after the draft: “Whenever we sign him, we want Justin to have his whole week … I think Justin would deserve his whole month if we signed a contract to celebrate it.”
Many believed Jefferson wanted to “wait and see who the quarterback would be,” and after the 2024 NFL Draft, Minnesota provided a resounding answer: J.J. McCarthy. The Michigan Wolverine slid down the draftboard to the Vikings, and Adofo-Mensah had to trade up the board just one spot for McCarthy, a swap with the New York Jets. For months, folks theorized a large trade into the Top 5 was necessary to draft McCarthy or his draft mate Drake Maye, but the forecast was false for McCarthy. Minnesota drafted him with the 10th overall pick.
Adofo-Mensah added“You know that friend that has a birthday that takes the month? I think Justin would deserve his whole month if we signed a contract to celebrate it. We’re excited to work towards it. We’re going to keep going. You can’t have all these plans when you talk about all these visions and not talk about the king linchpin, so we’re going to keep working toward that end goal.”
Lesson learned? Just because NFL media claims a trade could occur doesn’t mean the organization is anywhere remotely in agreement.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.