Vikings News: Kirk Cousins' No-Trade Clause, Justin Jefferson's Injury

ESPN's Adam Schefter has Saturday news updates on the Vikings' two biggest names: Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson.

Cousins 'expected to stay with Vikings in 2023'

The first update is that Cousins is "expected to remain in Minnesota this season and will not look to waive the no-trade clause in his contract — short of changing unforeseen circumstances," Schefter tweeted.

This isn't exactly breaking news. Despite the speculation around the possibility of a Cousins trade, it has always seemed like he would be unlikely to waive his no-trade clause. That would mean moving his family in the middle of a season and learning a new offense on the fly.

It seems like the only scenario where Cousins gets moved is if someone like the 49ers' Brock Purdy were to get hurt. That would create an opening under Kyle Shanahan, one of Cousins' old coaches in Washington.

"Short of a contending team with a familiar offense losing its starting quarterback before the NFL's Oct. 31 trade deadline, Cousins is expected to finish the season with the Vikings," Schefter wrote.

Jefferson expected to be out 4 to 6 weeks

Jefferson, the face of the Vikings' franchise, is expected to be out four to six weeks with his hamstring injury, according to Schefter. He was placed on injured reserve this week.

"The All-Pro receiver will undergo imaging tests in four weeks to help determine when he can return," Schefter wrote.

This is also notable:

If the Vikings are unable to remain competitive, Jefferson would be expected to consider the reality that he and the organization did not come to an agreement on a long-term contract extension before this season. The deal likely would have made Jefferson the highest-paid non-quarterback offensive player in NFL history, and his price is not expected to drop.

As competitive as Jefferson is and as much as he would like to be there for his team, he will have to ask himself whether a return this season is worth the risk of long-term injury if the Vikings have fallen out of the playoff race.

The way things go for the Vikings during Jefferson's absence could potentially impact his return.

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