Justin Jefferson is traded to the Vikings in exchange for a franchise quarterback.
Kirk Cousins’ contract with the Minnesota Vikings is fully guaranteed, so by the time the 2019 season begins, there may be a new starting quarterback in town.
The Vikings are reportedly serious about finding a new franchise quarterback, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. He also suggested that the best way to accomplish this could be to use wide receiver Justin Jefferson as the centerpiece of a trade package that can help them enter that specific dialogue.
According to The Viking Age’s X account on Monday, February 19, Florio stated, “[The Vikings] want, I believe, a franchise quarterback and trading Justin Jefferson could be the key toward getting the return to move up [in the draft], if that’s what they want to do.”
Anywhere in the league, the Vikings could try to deal Jefferson and get back at least a couple of first-round picks.
I don’t think Jefferson would get three first-round picks in a trade, but if the Vikings decided to rebuild from the ground up and trade him, they probably could get two first-round picks, a mid-round pick, or a starting-caliber veteran,” ESPN’s Bill Barnwell wrote in October 2023. Barnwell also said that he wouldn’t support the plan.
With their own No. 11 pick and two additional first-round selections (one in the top half of this year’s draft and the other with solid 2025 projections), Minnesota should be able to have serious talks with teams like the New England Patriots at No. 3.
Actually, that’s probably accomplished by No. 11 and another first, along with some lesser draft assets. On February 10, Dan Graziano of ESPN reported that the Vikings and the Atlanta Falcons could be included in a potential trade that would persuade the Patriots to give up their current position.
It would be nice to move up to number three, as that would put the Vikings in a position where they could ensure that they either select Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye, depending on the Washington Commanders’ choice at number two. All of this is presuming that Caleb Williams of USC will be selected by the Chicago Bears with the first overall pick, as most national reporting from NFL insiders over the past few weeks has suggested.
Having said that, the Vikings should probably reserve their willingness to punt on Jefferson in order to have a chance to select a quarterback until after they have secured their preferred signal-caller. The only way to do that would be to get the first pick, which would probably mean making a straight deal with the Bears.
On February 10, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that Chicago would need to make a “historic haul” in order to drop out of the top pick in the draft. In exchange for the top pick in 2023, the Bears received two firsts, two seconds, and receiver DJ Moore from the Carolina Panthers.
Therefore, Jefferson feels like it’s in the neighborhood of the value Rapoport mentioned prior to the Super Bowl. Jefferson is worth two firsts and a mid-rounder, according to Barnwell, plus two more firsts from Minnesota (No. 11 in 2024 and a first-rounder in 2025).
The Vikings most likely won’t trade Jefferson at all in the end. However, even though it is unpleasant, it is a thought that merits discussion.
Over a new four-year contract, Spotrac projects Jefferson’s market value to be 29.3 million. But when healthy, he’s been the best wide receiver in football, setting numerous records in his first three seasons, all of which culminated in a Pro Bowl berth. Therefore, as soon as Jefferson gets to the negotiating table, he has a good chance of breaking records as well.
The Vikings cannot afford to alienate Jefferson, but they can afford to pay him. The Vikings need to have a solid backup plan in place if Cousins isn’t returning so they can keep their All-Pro wide receiver confident. The front desk won’t have any trouble coming up with a plan—or six—but it might be challenging to identify one that
