Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is not expected to sign a contract extension before Sunday’s opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Saturday night.
Both sides made a strong effort to get a deal done, but the plan now is to revisit after the season.
On Thursday, the All Pro that he would like a new deal, but wasn’t sure it would happen before Sunday.
“Of course I would want a contract to be done,” Jefferson said. “But at the end of the day, it is all up to them and what the ownership want to do with that.”
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah reiterated last week that the team intends to get a deal done, but he acknowledged that some players prefer to cut off talks once the regular season begins.
Jefferson would not reveal Thursday whether he has a preference, saying instead that “it’s up to them.”
Jefferson, 24, has accumulated more receiving yards in the first three years of his career (4,825) than any other player in NFL history. The Vikings have him under contract for two more years — at $2.4 million this season and $19.7 million in 2024 — and could use the franchise tag on him in 2025 if they don’t have a deal before then.
Those circumstances, along with the exploding market for NFL receivers, have created a complex set of negotiations. Jefferson implied as much Thursday when asked whether he has sought advice from other players who have been in similar situations.
“I’m in a different situation,” Jefferson said. “I’ve done something that no one has ever done in the history of the game. So my situation is a little bit different than everyone else’s. Of course, I’m going into my fourth year, trying to talk about contract two years early. There’s so many different parts that go in towards it. That’s why I leave it up to my agent and just keep my mindset on the field.”