6 NFL Teams That Should Offer Trade for Justin Jefferson After Kirk Cousins Exit
Now that the Kirk Cousins era is over for the Minnesota Vikings, speculation has picked up regarding the future of wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
The three-time Pro Bowler is entering the $19.7 million option year on his rookie contract and slated to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason. He will become very expensive very soon, so it may not be worth the Vikings paying that premium during a potential rebuild.
Besides, the return they could get for Jefferson in his prime may help speed up that rebuild.
With that in mind, here are six teams that should make a run at the 24-year-old.
Salary figures courtesy of Spotrac.
Chicago Bears
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Regardless of who quarterbacks the team in 2024, the Chicago Bears will be going all-in on a young signal-caller in the NFL draft as part of the next step in a rebuild.
Who better to pair with that quarterback than Jefferson?
It won't be easy to convince the Vikings to trade the receiver within the NFC North, and Chicago would likely have to pay a tax as a result, but the Bears do have the No. 9 overall choice in April's draft as well as three picks in the first two rounds in 2025. That gives them plenty of ammunition.
Also, only four teams currently have more salary-cap space than the Bears. So, they'd be prepared to hand Jefferson a lucrative long-term extension immediately.
Arizona Cardinals
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If the Arizona Cardinals are going to make things finally work with Kyler Murray at quarterback, they'll need to get him an elite weapon.
That could come with the No. 4 overall pick in the draft (possibly Marvin Harrison Jr.), or they may use that selection to land an already-accomplished receiver in Jefferson via trade.
Arizona also picks 27th and 35th and has a full complement of Day 1 and Day 2 picks in 2025, so it's also possible the Cardinals could use that fourth selection on a top prospect at another position and then sell off other valuable selections for Jefferson.
They also rank top 10 in the league with over $41 million in cap space, so the path is clear for a trade and extension. Plus, it would be easier to get the Vikings to trade Jefferson to Arizona than Chicago.
New York Jets
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Of course, it'd be even easier for to convince Minnesota to send Jefferson out of the conference. And that's where the New York Jets reside.
And of course, Gang Green is all-in on what could be a make-or-break year for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Imagine the 40-year-old with Jefferson and Garrett Wilson?
The Jets do have some wiggle room with more than $24 million in cap space, and it's possible they could secure the receiver in exchange for the No. 10 overall pick as well as some significant 2025 draft capital.
That would come with the risk of foregoing upgrades elsewhere on offense (the line is a problem), but it's possible those soft spots could be disguised with such a dangerous receiving duo at Rodgers' disposal.
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Kansas City Chiefs
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It's incredible that the Kansas City Chiefs managed to win another Super Bowl despite Patrick Mahomes being so low on talent in the receiving corps, but it won't be easy to three-peat without an upgrade.
Jefferson would be an upgrade-plus.
It wouldn't be an easy move to secure and might seem a little odd just two years after moving on from Tyreek Hill, but the circumstances have changed.
And even after re-signing Chris Jones and tagging L'Jarius Sneed, Kansas City still has more than $22 million in cap space.
If they're serious about becoming the first NFL team to win three consecutive Super Bowls, the Chiefs should consider packaging multiple first-round and Day 2 picks in the coming drafts in exchange for one of the game's best wideouts.
Washington Commanders
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The Washington Commanders aren't likely to surrender the No. 2 pick this year for Jefferson, especially because they clearly need a quarterback and will have a shot at one of a few potential stars in that spot.
However, they also have two picks early in the second round and all three of their Day 1/2 selections in 2025. That might present an opportunity for the team to hand that next quarterback a fabulous welcome gift in Jefferson, who could team up with Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson to form one of the best receiving groups in the NFL.
The problem here, though, is that the Commanders would be relatively handcuffed when trying to fill a number of other holes. But it helps that they lead the league with nearly $80 million in cap space.
New England Patriots
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The New England Patriots' case is similar to Washington in that they're also likely to land a new quarterback with a No. 3 pick and could use receiver help in order to bolster the rookie's chances of making it work.
The Pats also rank in the top three with more than $66 million in cap space. And unlike Washington, they're outside of Minnesota's conference.
However, New England would be running the risk of neglecting other positions. But it's worse off at receiver than Washington, so this makes plenty of sense aside from the fact that it has just one second-round pick to trade away.
As a result, landing Jefferson would likely cost the Patriots a ton of 2025 draft capital. So, while it's unlikely, it's not out of the question as a new era commences in Foxborough.
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