Vikings Star Justin Jefferson Enters Year 3 Knowing a Big Contract is Around the Corner
Year two for Justin Jefferson was about proving that his historic rookie season wasn't a fluke.
He did that, and then some, with another Pro Bowl and All-Pro season that saw him become the first player in NFL history to surpass 3,000 receiving yards in their first two seasons. The ascending face of the Vikings' franchise fell just short of Randy Moss's single-season receiving record, maintained elite efficiency on increased volume, and established himself as a top-five wideout in the league for years to come.
Year three is about continuing that dominance. Jefferson declined to share his personal goals at his first press conference of the new season on Tuesday, but you have to imagine things like a first-team All-Pro nod and Moss's record are on his mind.
Year three, more importantly, is about winning. For all of Jefferson's individual brilliance through two seasons, he has yet to experience playoff football. After going 15-0 and winning a national title in his last year at LSU, Jefferson's Vikings have gone 15-18 since he was drafted, largely due to defensive struggles.
Two months away from his 23rd birthday, Jefferson arrived at the start of the Vikings' offseason program this week ready to keep leveling up his game.
"I have so many goals in store," he said. "I don’t really want to say my personal goals right now, but I have set a lot of stuff I have in store. I’m over the rookie year, I’m over the second year, it’s onto Year 3 now. There’s a target on my back at this point. I’m planning on keeping on going up. They’re always going to have players in the league that are going to try and stop me and what we’ve got going on. Really just buy in to what Coach (Kevin O'Connell) has got for us, putting me in different positions to get me open. We’re all excited for this new offense."
As Jefferson enters his third season, the clock also ticks closer to his second NFL contract. Technically, with the fifth-year option, he could play three more seasons on his rookie deal. But Jefferson becomes extension eligible after this year, and the Vikings will want to keep their young superstar happy. Looking ahead and devising a plan to keep Jefferson content in Minnesota long-term is something GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings are already discussing.
After seeing Stefon Diggs, Davante Adams, and Tyreek Hill get mega-deals this offseason, Jefferson — who leads all players in receiving yards since 2020 — knows his time is coming before too long.
"That comes with the process," he said. "I’m really just focused on what I can do right now leading the team, being the captain of the team, and just going out there and performing the best I can. Excited for them and excited for what I have in store. Just knowing some of the players that got signed again, just knowing that I can have some more great years here with this team, so definitely been looking into that and been keeping sight on that."
That's a conversation for another day. Right now, Jefferson is ready to get rolling. He spent much of his offseason training in Miami and appears to have added a bit of muscle to his frame. When the Vikings hired O'Connell, he called his good friend Odell Beckham Jr. to ask about his new head coach. He's been studying Cooper Kupp's film in the hopes of filling a similar role and perhaps putting up similar numbers in 2022.
It's only been two days of being back in the building, but Jefferson likes what he's seen so far. He has an offensive-minded head coach for the first time, which he thinks will help. O'Connell, who is nearly 30 years younger than Mike Zimmer, can also connect with players on a personal level a bit more, according to Jefferson. Most of the personnel on offense is the same, but he's excited by the newness of the coaching staff and they scheme they're beginning to teach.
"Even being in the meetings with (O'Connell) and him talking over schemes and different things he did with the Rams and things he’s planning on doing with us, it’s very exciting," Jefferson said. "Just for him to come in and be a laid-back coach ready to change the whole program and get us back on that winning stage, we’re all excited. We’ve seen so many new faces in here, so many new coaches. We have so much potential on this team. We’re all ready to get this thing started back up."
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