Justin Jefferson, the renowned Minnesota Vikings player, has been busy making media appearances at the Super Bowl radio row in Las Vegas this week. Although his quotes in these appearances have not been innovative or revolutionary in any sense, they have managed to make it to the headlines. This is a common occurrence when a player of his talent is going through an offseason that is filled with uncertainty.
Jefferson’s contract status has been a popular topic of discussion, given that he is heading into his fifth year in the NFL and is in line for a record-setting extension this offseason. Although it is probable that he will reach an agreement with the Vikings before the start of next season, the absence of such an instance till now has made it a subject of speculation. Jefferson’s quote, “I wanna break the bank,” became viral, and he acknowledged that whether a deal with Minnesota would be reached or not is a matter that will only be settled with time.
During a few interviews, Justin Jefferson was asked about the identity of his quarterback for next season. However, he has no clue about the Vikings’ plans of whether to re-sign Kirk Cousins or not. Neither Cousins nor the team knows what will occur at this point. While Jefferson would like to have Cousins back, he is prepared to catch passes from anyone if that is the plan.
When asked the question about the quarterback, Jefferson replied, “I don’t know that” and added, “I have no idea. It could be Kirk, it could be someone else,” to Rich Eisen. Cousins has been the sole NFL quarterback for Jefferson until the latter’s Achilles injury this previous season. Despite this, Jefferson has always spoken positively about Cousins.
On the Eisen Show, Jefferson remarked, “Kirk is great as a teammate, as a person.” He also highlighted that having multiple quarterbacks throwing to you may be very distinct from having that one main quarterback, and he believes everyone, particularly Vikings fans, appreciates Cousins more off the field now that they have seen the difference.
Jefferson expressed his desire to have Cousins remain with the Vikings: “I would like him to stay,” he stated. “I would love to have him stay and have that connection with him. It’s going to be difficult to create that new connection with a whole new quarterback. We don’t know if we’re going to draft one, if we’re going to pick one up (in free agency). I would like to have (Kirk) back, have him in that locker room.” It is not surprising that Jefferson wants Cousins to continue, given the rapport they have established and the type of numbers they have produced together. However, Jefferson proved he is adaptable and was able to amass over 400 yards in three full games while being thrown to by Nick Mullens towards the end of the season, so he is not overly concerned if Minnesota swaps quarterbacks. “It doesn’t matter who is going to be throwing me that ball,” reassures Jefferson to the NFL Network. “I’m always going to be that same type of player.”
