The Vikings made a significant investment in Justin Jefferson back in June when they made the 2020 first-round pick the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history.
But before pens were put to paper for the record-setting deal, Minnesota reportedly received calls inquiring about the superstar playmaker's availability.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the 49ers asked the Vikings about Jefferson while Brandon Aiyuk's situation in San Francisco was up in the air. However, the pre-draft inquiry was "immediately rebuffed" by Kevin O'Connell and company, per Schefter.
Similarly, the Indianapolis Colts and the New York Jets reportedly expressed interest in Jefferson before the draft but "talks never went anywhere."
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It doesn't take a football genius to understand why Minnesota didn't even consider moving Jefferson. The 25-year-old eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in all of his NFL seasons to date and logged a combined 30 touchdowns over that span. Jefferson was a Pro Bowler in three of those campaigns and won the Offensive Player of the Year Award in 2022.
The Vikings also surely wanted to keep premier talent around quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in this year's draft. McCarthy will miss the entire 2024 season due to a knee injury, but Jefferson is off to a solid start with veteran signal-caller Sam Darnold.
Featured image via Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images
