Vikings not planning to trade Justin Jefferson: Sources - The Athletic

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By Dianna Russini, Alec Lewis and Larry Holder

The Minnesota Vikings have no plans to trade All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson amid the departure of quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons, according to team sources.

The Vikings came close to extending Jefferson last offseason. And in Indianapolis during the NFL combine, Minnesota general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah aggressively rejected the idea of trading the star. That hasn’t changed despite the change at quarterback away from Cousins.

Minnesota added veteran QB Sam Darnold after Cousins left for Atlanta in free agency. Drafting a quarterback could also be in the plans for the Vikings.

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Jefferson, 24, only played 10 games last season dealing with a hamstring injury. He hauled in 68 receptions for 1,074 yards and five touchdowns. Still, he’s regarded as one of, if not the best wide receiver in the NFL. He is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

The 2022 NFL offensive player of the year has tallied 392 receptions for 5,899 yards and 30 TDs. The 2020 first-round pick earned three Pro Bowl trips and one first-team All-Pro nod.

How did we get here?

Last year in the lead up to the Vikings’ Week 1 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team and Jefferson’s representatives negotiated a possible extension. Talks came close, according to multiple leagues sources familiar with discussions. Ultimately, the two sides couldn’t agree on final terms. Since then, Jefferson’s name has surfaced constantly. When he suffered a hamstring injury in Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs, some questioned whether Jefferson would want to return. He ultimately did.

Following the season, more unsubstantiated rumors surfaced regarding the Vikings potentially trading Jefferson. Adofo-Mensah said in Indianapolis at the NFL combine: “A lot of the stuff that I hear is completely false. (Trading Jefferson) is not something that has once crossed my mind.” With Cousins’s departure, the idea of trading Jefferson has once again surfaced. Minnesota has no plans to move its best player. — Alec Lewis, Vikings beat writer

So, what’s next?

Here’s where it’s worth citing another one of Adofo-Mensah’s quotes in Indianapolis: “(There has to be trust in Jefferson’s camp) in how we’re building this going forward to set us up in a sustained window to win for a long time,” Adofo-Mensah said. “We’ve got to earn that trust.”

Without Cousins, the Vikings are in a tough position. Earning trust is not limited to Jefferson, but also to the entire fanbase.

Attention now turns to the NFL Draft. The Vikings have the No. 11 pick and are likely to attempt to move up to try to snag their potential quarterback of the future. Do that, and trust will exist. Jefferson is going to ask for top-of-the-market non-quarterback money. The Vikings know this. They’re willing to pay it, even if it didn’t happen last year. — Lewis

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(Photo: Nic Antaya / Getty Images)

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Vikings not planning to trade Justin Jefferson: Sources - The Athletic
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