Justin Jefferson Rumors: New Vikings Contract Before Week 1 Would Be 'Mild Upset'

The Minnesota Vikings have been trying to lock up Justin Jefferson to a long-term deal, but nothing has come to fruition with just days remaining before the start of the 2023 campaign.

Jefferson, who is expected to become one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL, is "comfortable playing this year out in the absence of the right offer," according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, who added "some people inside the league believe getting something done by Week 1 kickoff would be a mild upset."

The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported Tuesday that Jefferson's contract is looking like it "will be announced (and celebrated) very soon." Whether it will come prior to Sunday remains unclear.

The Vikings have been vocal over the past year about wanting to extend Jefferson's contract. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said at February's NFL Scouting Combine that getting the wide receiver locked up is a "priority."

"I don't want to be the Vikings' GM without that guy on our team," Adofo-Mensah said at the time, per ESPN's Kevin Seifert. "So it's a high priority. We've got to make sure we do in the order that we can do it in, obviously, given all of our other decisions we have to make."

The Vikings recently signed tight end T.J. Hockenson to a four-year, $68.5 million deal, and Adofo-Mensah reiterated at the time that they want Jefferson to remain in Minnesota for the foreseeable future.

"We've said it and will continue to say it. Justin (Jefferson) is somebody we want around here for a really long time. We're going to do everything we can to do that," he told reporters. "Whenever that happens, it will be a great day for the Vikings and a great day for Justin."

The Vikings selected Jefferson in the first round of the 2020 draft out of LSU, and he has recorded at least 1,400 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons. He's coming off the best season of his career in 2022, catching 128 passes for 1,809 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games.

If Jefferson posts a 2,000-yard season this year, his next contract will likely be even more astronomical than it is already expected to be.