Justin Jefferson to the 49ers Is Just Talk, but Other Vikings Trade Buzz May Be Real

Three years ago, ESPN reported that the 49ers called the Vikings about trading for Justin Jefferson. Minnesota wasn't interested in that conversation, and it would be shocking if they gave it a thought if San Francisco came calling this offseason.

That possibility, as much of a long shot as it might be, is getting a lot of attention after longtime San Francisco sports writer Tim Kawakami wrote a column (paywall) saying the 49ers should try to trade for Jefferson.

Kawakami rightly argued that Jefferson would make the 49ers a kingpin in the NFL, noting that they have the cap space and draft capital required to make a deal for one of the league's best players work. Where Kawakami might be getting ahead of himself is when he says Minnesota is a few years away from being competitive in the NFC.

The first big sticking point with Jefferson is the dead money involved in a trade. Check out how much dead money Minnesota would eat each of the next four years if they trade Jefferson before June 1.

2026: $46.4 million
2027: $32.9 million
2028: $19.4 million
2029: $6 million

The dead money hits drop if they trade him after June 1, but it's still painful.

2026: $13.4 million
2027: $13.4 million
2028: $13.4 million
2029: $6 million

Although they'd be incurring a significant amount of dead money, trading him after June 1 would also free up $25.5 million for 2026, $30 million for 2027, and $34 million for 2028. Still, free agency would largely be wiped of talent after June 1, meaning the money Minnesota would save this year wouldn't be as useful as it would be if they had it available to them in March.

Trading Jefferson would be a very loud signal from the Vikings that they know their Super Bowl window is closed. Based on reports that suggest they're going to repeat their 2025 plan and try to get the quarterback situation right this offseason, they're still all-in on trying to win now — and that makes trading Jefferson extremely unlikely.

Minnesota went 9-8 with a roster that was plagued by injuries and poor quarterback play. If they stay healthy next season and McCarthy makes a jump or they acquire someone like Mac Jones (Hello, 49ers), they could quickly find themselves back in contention in the NFC.

Here's Kawakami's argument: "Their timeline is all screwed up by J.J. McCarthy's slow development at quarterback, which means getting back into contention seems, at best, a few years away. How long does Jefferson want to wait around for decent QB play?"

All valid points, but McCarthy might not be the starting quarterback in 2026.

Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) looks to throw downfield against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

A more likely scenario has the Vikings making a deal for Jones, whom 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan already appears to be doing his best to drive up his trade price.

“You always listen to people with trade offers, but we’re also not into getting rid of good players,” Shanahan said Wednesday. “So I’d be very surprised if Mac wasn’t around us next year.”

The price for Jones, according to rumblings online, is probably a second- or third-round pick. He has one year left on his deal and made it clear on Monday when he said he wants to be a starter. He'd get that opportunity in competition with McCarthy, similar to how Daniel Jones won the job over Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis after leaving the Vikings.

“I’m on a two-year deal, but I believe I’m a starter in this league, and I’m excited to continue to get better this offseason and see what happens,” Jones said. “In a way, I had two good seasons in one. I had a season as a starter, kind of, and a season as a backup. It was just so fun to get, like they say, the train back on the tracks. That’s what I wanted to do. I put a lot of good film out there.”

What if draft picks are thrown out the window and the Vikings and 49ers simply swap wide receiver Jordan Addison for Jones? The Niners are allegedly interested in Addison.

"The wide receiver they're initially targeting in a trade is Jordan Addison of the Minnesota Vikings," 49ers On SI's Grant Cohn said Wednesday. "Apparently, from what I've heard, there have already been initial discussions between the two teams on a trade."

I’m hearing the 49ers want to trade for Jordan Addison. pic.twitter.com/q8G0OqZB9v
— Grant Cohn (@grantcohn) January 21, 2026

We still have six weeks before the 2026 NFL league year begins, so buckle up. It certainly seems that the Vikings will be near the center of the rumor mill for the foreseeable future.

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