Not a single other NFL team could be in a better situation than the Minnesota Vikings. They don’t have a guaranteed starting quarterback signed for the upcoming campaign, and the ones they do have had subpar seasons. Even after a recent Achilles tear, Kirk Cousins, a free agent, is eager to return to Minnesota, but his cost will be high.
Due to a void year that was added to his contract, Cousins will count for $28.5 million against the Vikings’ 2024 salary cap even if they decide not to re-sign him. Re-signing him would make it more difficult to spend money in the future but could reduce this number in 2024.
As things stand, the Vikings have more needs than they can reasonably pay for. Even worse than the current state of affairs is the fact that star wide receiver Justin Jefferson is about to begin his fifth season in the NFL. It goes without saying that he is playing this season on his fifth-year option, but it will be challenging to keep him after 2024.
So tough, in fact, that a lot of people in the league think Minnesota might have to trade him.
Minnesota Vikings Wide Receiver Justin Jefferson Will Fetch More than $30 Million per Season
As things stand, the Vikings have more needs than they can reasonably pay for. Even worse than the current state of affairs is the fact that star wide receiver Justin Jefferson is about to begin his fifth season in the NFL. It goes without saying that he is playing this season on his fifth-year option, but it will be challenging to keep him after 2024.
So tough, in fact, that a lot of people in the league think Minnesota might have to trade him.
The money guarantee is the key. After the first year of any potential new contract, the Vikings do not want to provide any financial guarantees. For Jefferson, who is looking for a contract that is as close to a 100% guarantee as possible, that will not work. By 2025, Jefferson will almost certainly be a free agent if the Vikings refuse to make concessions on the guaranteed salary.
Of course, teams have the option to apply the franchise tag to him, but that hasn’t always worked out well (see: the Green Bay Packers’ tag of Adams).
