Rookie minicamp begins on Friday, giving Minnesota Vikings fans their first glimpse at J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner in purple and gold. Organized team activities begin 10 days later, and whether Justin Jefferson will attend is unknown. Last year, Jefferson skipped voluntary OTA practices and the obligatory minicamp while negotiating a contract deal.
“I had a lot of stuff going on,” Jefferson explained last June. “They didn’t really compel me to come back, so I didn’t feel like I was missing out on much. Although I wanted to return, I had a busy offseason with marketing and endorsements.
Everyone wants to be close to Jefferson, one of the NFL’s most charismatic and electrifying players. The Vikings have stated that they want to retain Jefferson around for the long run. They did not trade him at the draft, despite the fact that he could have gotten them a first-round choice. Why should they? Jefferson should help McCarthy move to the NFL.
Furthermore, the Vikings acquired defensive talent in the offseason by signing Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Blake Cashman in free agency and selecting Turner in the draft. Brian Flores should have enough talent to build on, eliminating the need for Jefferson, Sam Darnold, or McCarthy to run up the score to keep Minnesota in games.
However, Minnesota’s success is dependent on more than just acquiring new talent. The team’s ability to negotiate a contract extension for Jefferson is essential. The Vikings are counting on McCarthy to become a franchise quarterback, which might propel them to Super Bowl contention. Having a guy of Jefferson’s calibre, who has already broken Randy Moss’ franchise receiving records, is the best assurance the Vikings can provide that McCarthy will fulfill his full potential.
Jefferson can only aid so much during McCarthy’s rookie season as he learns football principles and Kevin O’Connell’s intricate offence. Before the draft, O’Connell compared his bond with his rookie quarterback to a marriage. McCarthy requires a comparable tight relationship with Jefferson to give himself the best chance of success at the next level. Thus, re-signing Jefferson is Minnesota’s top priority right now.
Adofo-Mensah called Jefferson as the “king lynchpin” of Minnesota’s goals and stated that he maintains open lines of communication with Jefferson’s supporters. “We continue to have great dialogue,” he stated 10 days after the draft, calling the process “ongoing.”
The Vikings attempted to sign Jefferson to an extension last season but were unsuccessful. They wished they could be assured that Jefferson would be in town for the foreseeable future.
However, Jefferson took some risks. After accumulating 4,825 yards over three full seasons, injuries limited him to 10 games and 1,074 yards last season. He injured his hamstring against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5 and was hospitalized after being hit by the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 13.
“There’s a reason why (extensions) don’t normally get done two years early,” Adofo-Mensah remarked last year. “I’ll leave it at that. There are just reasons why it is more difficult to do at that stage.
Deadlines motivate people to accomplish tasks. OTAs begin on May 20, and the voluntary minicamp runs from June 4 to June 6. The Vikings drafted their future quarterback as well as a second-line edge rusher. They have boosted the defence, with Jordan Addison coming off a successful rookie year and T.J. Hockenson under contract. Minnesota is a plan. We’ll soon find out what Jefferson thinks of it.
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