How Kirk Cousins will impact Justin Jefferson

The Vikings have made one playoff appearance in Jefferson’s four seasons and that ended with a disappointing loss last season to the New York Giants in the Wild Card round. So Jefferson, undoubtedly, will have some questions for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and coach Kevin O’Connell about where things are headed.

This likely will go beyond the quarterback situation.

Jefferson was elected one of the Vikings’ captains for the first time in 2023 and is a leader in the locker room. Jefferson also is going to be aware that when his new contract begins in 2025 — assuming it gets done — it will eat a good portion of the salary cap and that means the best chance of building a winning roster will be with a quarterback on a rookie-scale contract.

The Vikings have many areas that need addressing — defensive tackle, an edge rusher and cornerback, to name three on defense — and the team’s overall depth is lacking.

Jefferson can’t win games by himself and it will be hard for the Vikings to add the necessary pieces if Cousins is making a top-level quarterback salary in 2025, Jefferson is the highest paid non-quarterback in the league and left tackle Christian Darrisaw is rewarded for being one of the best at his position.

If Jefferson decides the Vikings aren’t headed in the right direction, or the Vikings decide they don’t have the appetite to pay Jefferson what he wants, odds are good he will be moved this offseason.

Again, it makes no sense for him to play with the Vikings in 2024 until he has signed an extension. As for Cousins, it’s difficult to believe he will accept a team-friendly, one-year contract for 2024, thus, delaying a decision on the quarterback position for a year, or allowing a first-round pick to develop behind him. This would be a financial win for Jefferson and the Vikings but not for Cousins.

This isn’t to say that if Cousins leaves, and the Vikings have no real plan at quarterback, that Jefferson will be happy. But whether Jefferson stays or goes, will be determined by how much the Vikings are willing to pay.

Judd Zulgad is co-host of the Purple Daily Podcast and Mackey & Judd podcast at www.skornorth.com.