Vikings GM Makes Strong Statement on Trading Justin Jefferson
Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah put any Justin Jefferson trade rumors to rest.
At the NFL scouting combine, Adofo-Mensah was strong in his statement that the thought of trading Jefferson “has not crossed his mind” after the team and Jefferson did not reach an extension last September.
“I promised them and will continue to promise them that I will not talk about our negotiations. I think this job should be done with integrity,” Adofo-Mensah said in a February 27 news conference. “A lot of the stuff that I hear — it’s completely false — but I can’t get up here and tell you what’s not true and what’s not false because that’s not how I promised to do this job.
“But I will tell you we’re energized to have him and proceed those discussions since he’s some person we need around for a long time,” Adofo-Mensah included.
After coming “unbelievably close” to coming to an expansion in Jefferson’s fourth offseason — the primary year he was qualified for a unused contract — Adofo-Mensah point by point the irregularity in getting an expansion some time recently a player’s fourth season.
Concurring to CBS Sports, only 26 first-round picks struck extensions after their third season since 2011. Quarterbacks lead the way with seven such expansions taken after by hostile handles with four. In the mean time, as it were one wide collector has seen the same treatment.
However, Jefferson could be a uncommon ability, which has driven to theory on why a bargain hasn’t been done. Adofo-Mensah suppressed any sign the Vikings aren’t sold on a superstar talent like Jefferson, saying Jefferson merits to be compensated as the most excellent wide collector and one of the top non-quarterbacks within the association.
“We got incredibly close. We think he’s the leading wide collector within the association and ought to be compensated as such. We think he’s one of the leading non-quarterbacks within the alliance and ought to be compensated as such,” Adofo-Mensah said.
“They have their reasons for holding up; we have our reasons for needing to do it sooner. Eventually, we need to come together and meet within the center and figure out a way to best serve our purposes.”
Vikings’ Future at QB Affecting Justin Jefferson Contract Talks.
Whereas Jefferson has touted his certainty in being a profitable wide receiver no matter who is tossing him the ball, the choice at quarterback this offseason may have an affect on the length of Jefferson’s expansion.
On the off chance that he does not see a clear way to dependable quarterback play long-term — either by extending Kirk Cousins or looking somewhere else — Jefferson may be slanted to hold up on. an expansion or take a short-term bargain.
The Vikings have controlled any uncertainty by including Jefferson all through their decision-making prepare.
“We’ve had discussions with him. Kevin’s had a part of great discussions with him around that. Any great wide collector ought to need to have a extraordinary quarterback who’s precise, who’s going to toss him the football when he’s open — and he gets open superior than anyone in the league,” Adofo-Mensah said.
“That is critical, but when I to begin with met Justin, my to begin with day in Minnesota, he said, ‘Kwesi, I fair want to put wins on the board,’ ” Adofo-Mensah included. “At a few point in spite of the fact that there’s ought to be a believe in how we’re building this going forward to set us up in a supported window to win for a long time.
“We’ve ought to gain that believe, of course. But I think that’s a discussion we have. I think you need to treat players like accomplices, you ought to bring them in and have those discussions with them, and that’s something we’ll do with Justin.”
