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Does Justin Jefferson Care Who the Vikings' Quarterback is in 2024?

Jefferson wants Kirk Cousins back, but he's ready to catch passes from anyone.
Does Justin Jefferson Care Who the Vikings' Quarterback is in 2024?
Does Justin Jefferson Care Who the Vikings' Quarterback is in 2024?

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Vikings superstar Justin Jefferson has been busy doing a tour of media appearances at Super Bowl radio row in Las Vegas this week. He hasn't exactly said anything new or groundbreaking, but his words are still making headlines. That's what happens when you're a player of his caliber during an offseason filled with uncertainty.

Jefferson has obviously been asked about his contract status; heading into his fifth year in the NFL, he's in line for a record-setting extension this offseason. It still seems likely to get done with the Vikings at some point before next season starts, but the fact that it hasn't happened yet means it's a topic of discussion. "I wanna break the bank" was a viral quote from Jefferson, who added that "only time will tell" if a deal gets done with Minnesota.

Here's another easy question he's gotten a few times: Who's your quarterback going to be next season? Jefferson, of course, has no clue whether the Vikings are going to re-sign Kirk Cousins or not. At this juncture, not even Cousins or the team knows what's going to happen there. Jefferson's answer is that he'd love to have Cousins back, but he's ready to catch passes from anyone if it plays out that way.

"I don't know that," Jefferson said when Rich Eisen asked the QB question. "I have no idea. It could be Kirk, it could be someone else."

Jefferson has always had nothing but good things to say about Cousins, who was his only NFL quarterback until his Achilles injury this past season.

"Kirk is great as a teammate, as a person," Jefferson said on Eisen's show. "Seeing the difference from having multiple quarterbacks throwing to you versus having that one main quarterback ... I feel like everyone, especially Vikings fans, appreciates Kirk a little bit more now that we've seen him off the field."

"I would like him to stay," he added. "I would love to have him stay and have that connection with him. It's going to be difficult to create that new connection with a whole new quarterback. We don't know if we're going to draft one, if we're going to pick one up (in free agency). I would like to have (Kirk) back, have him in that locker room."

It's not surprising that Jefferson wants Cousins to stick around, given the rapport between the two and the kind of numbers they've put up together. Then again, Jefferson had over 400 yards in three full games with Nick Mullens at the end of the season, so he'll be alright if the Vikings transition to someone else at QB in 2024.

"It doesn’t matter who is going to be throwing me that ball," Jefferson told NFL Network. "I’m always going to be that same type of player."


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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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