There are differing stories on whether the Minnesota Vikings traded wide receiver Justin Jefferson before the NFL draft, but one thing is certain: if they do decide to deal Jefferson, they will receive a huge return for the wide receiver.
On Wednesday, May 29, Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report wrote a proposal that would have the Vikings reconnect Jefferson with former LSU teammates Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase as Cincinnati Bengals players. Star wide receiver Tee Higgins and first- and third-round picks in 2025 are what Minnesota would receive in exchange.
When both Burrow and Chase are healthy, the Bengals’ quarterback-wide out combination is already among the finest in the league. It would be unfair to defenders around the league to include Jefferson in that mix.
It is, of course, extremely impossible to commit that much money to a quarterback and two receivers because of the salary cap. Burrow’s contract has an average yearly value of $55 million, while Jefferson and Chase are expected to make around $30.2 million each year.
Because of this same situation, the Bengals find it challenging to keep Tee Higgins under the one-year franchise tag when they are aware that Chase will soon receive an extension. Nevertheless, considering Higgins’ talent and the choices he brings with him, the offense would be absolutely terrifying, and the Vikings would be tempted by the compensation.
It Will Be Very Expensive for the Vikings to Keep Justin Jefferson
Given the kind of offensive they could produce with Jefferson, it is obvious why the Bengals made the transaction. In order to align highly-paid players across the roster in preparation for a potential Super Bowl run, the Vikings would need to address budgetary concerns if they were to ever consider making such a move.
It’s highly expected that Jefferson will receive the highest-paid non-quarterback contract in league history, which would fetch him close to $35 million a year. That is a hefty price to pay anyone who isn’t lined up under center, regardless matter how excellent a player is. It’s also a nice amount for a quarterback.
On May 26, Charley Walters of The Pioneer Press revealed that the Vikings attempted to move up in the rankings with the Los Angeles Chargers, from No. 11 to No. 5, in exchange for Malik Nabers, another former LSU wideout.
According to The Purple Persuasion X account, Walters stated, “There was buzz at draft time that the Vikings wanted to move from No. 11 to No. 5, not to pick a QB but to get LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers, who was picked No. 6 by the [New York] Giants.” “Jefferson would have been traded, and Nabers would have been the top receiver, had that trade happened.”
On May 28, Seifert wrote on X, “This rumor has made the rounds, and it’s admittedly juicy, but the Vikings did not try last month to trade up and draft WR Malik Nabers.” Fantastic talent, but Just Jefferson of the Vikings is a superior one. Jefferson is still being worked on, and there is no desire to trade him.
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