Amid contract negotiations, Justin Jefferson spotted near Jets’ facility after skipping Vikings’ OTAs

Jefferson is in fifth and final year of his contract and he desires to be the highest paid in the league.

Amid contract negotiations, Justin Jefferson spotted near Jets’ facility after skipping Vikings’ OTAs

Justin Jefferson skips Vikings OTAs and allegedly travels to Jets facility in New York (Image via IMAGO)

Justin Jefferson is still under contract with the Minnesota Vikings. So the wide receiver’s recent venture to the New York Jets facility has raised eyebrows.

Since the start of last season, Vikings fans have expected that the front office would just hurry up and tie Jefferson down to a long-term contract. It’s almost mid-May 2024, and there’s no sign of any possible negotiations between the two parties.

In the meantime, the Vikings began their organized team activities on Monday, May 20. However, ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealed that the 24-year-old was a no-show on the first day.

Later, a video surfaced hinting at the whereabouts of Justin Jefferson. The short clip showed the LSU graduate wearing a black hoodie and hopping inside a black SUV. His destination allegedly was the Jets facility, which was a couple of miles away from where the Vikings are hosting their OTAs.

Now the question arises: why would he suddenly visit the Jets? He cannot hold talks with a third party unless the Vikings allow him to. Schefter did not reveal whether the Vikings had prior information about Jefferson not attending the OTAs, only that he wasn’t present.

Justin Jefferson is seeking a lucrative, long-term deal

The Vikings struck gold when they drafted Jefferson, and he has repaid that faith tenfold. He is easily a top-three receiver in the league, and for that reason, he wants to be compensated. 

Amid contract negotiations, Justin Jefferson spotted near Jets' facility after skipping Vikings' OTA's
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (Image via IMAGO)

Previously, he used the term ‘breaking the bank‘ while answering his expectations about a new contract. This could only imply that it’s either the highest-paid or out of Minnesota. There’s nothing concrete, but the trajectory and the continuous delay could compel Jefferson to take matters into his own hands.

It’s unconfirmed whether he visited the Jets or whether he went to meet Vikings owner Zygi Wilf, who lives on the 18th floor of New York’s 778 Park Avenue in Springfield, New Jersey, to talk about his terms.

The Vikings have a tough one on their hands. Already, the Detroit Lions and the Philadelphia Eagles have made their moves. While the Lions gave Amon Ra St. Brown a four-year $120 million deal ($30 million a year), the Eagles made AJ Brown the highest-paid receiver with $96 million for three years ($32 million a year).

Now if Jerry Jones decides to become Santa Claus and shocks the entire NFL by announcing a CeeDee Lamb deal, then the Vikings will be in deep trouble. Lamb expects close to or more than Brown’s salary, and if he gets it, then Jefferson’s asking rate will increase automatically. 

Jefferson will earn $19.7 in 2024 on the fifth-year option exercised by the Vikings, per Spotrac. He earned $13 million a season in his four-year rookie contract. The fact that he renamed his X (formerly Twitter) to ‘JJets’ should concern the Vikings.

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