Minnesota Vikings" General Manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, puts a period to swirling rumors about trading star receiver Justin Jefferson in a recent press meeting.
Contrary to circulating rumors, Adofo-Mensah emphatically affirmed that the idea of trading Justin Jefferson had never entered his thinking pipeline.
As the Vikings stride into their second year of trying to pin down Jefferson to a long-term contract extension, this firm declaration comes as a significant pushback against media speculations.
Trading star receiver Justin Jefferson "is not something that’s once crossed my mind," Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah told reporters Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine.
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The GM, in his deepest dive yet into the contract discussion, revealed that both parties were “unbelievably close" to shaking hands on a new deal last summer.
Although the talks came to a halt before the 2023 season kicked off, they have recently reengaged, taking a step forward to lock Jefferson into the Vikings" future.
Despite persisting rumors and media buzz, Adofo-Mensah firmly discredited the notion of trading Jefferson for a bounty of draft picks.
His staunch stand confirms that the Minnesota Vikings don"t perceive Jefferson as a dispensable resource to secure an alternative for QB Kirk Cousins.
“We had a lot of great dialogue last offseason," Adofo-Mensah said. “I think people forget: Deals rarely happen after three years. And there"s a reason. With two years left [on his rookie contract], there"s uncertainty that somebody has got to hold. Either the club has got to hold it, or the player has got to hold it. There"s new money, old money. How do you look at contracts? Those are very hard conversations to have. So a lot of them don"t get done. …
“We"ve said it and we"ll continue to say it: We think he"s the best wide receiver in the league and should be compensated as such. We think he"s the one of the best non-quarterbacks in the league, and think he should be compensated as such. We"ll continue to have those dialogues and conversations.
“I promised [Jefferson"s representatives] and will continue to promise them, I will not talk about our negotiations. I think this job should be done with integrity. So a lot of this stuff I hear is completely false. But I can"t get up here and tell you what"s not true or not false because that"s not how I promised to do this job. But I will tell you … he"s somebody we want around for a long time."
The spotlight also fell upon star quarterback Kirk Cousins, whose contract stands to void on March 13. Eyebrows rise as $28 million in dead money threatens to tumble onto the 2024 salary cap.
Despite looming uncertainties, Adofo-Mensah appeared hopeful to extend Cousins" deal and reveled in being in a “great place" with the player.
His recent conversation with Cousins echoes the optimism, underlining a hope to see Cousins return for the 2024 season.
“At the end of the day," he said, “we have our interests. He has his. We"ll get to the table and see if we can figure out a creative solution and meet in in the middle. That"s what every contract negotiation is, and that"s what it will be with him. What we do know is we have a really great quarterback, a great leader, and somebody we think we can win the ultimate prize with. That"s ultimately what I focus on and that"s where we"re at right now."
Cousins and coach Kevin O"Connell have reportedly been engaging in weekly discussions, focusing substantially on potential returns and on-field implications.
“Kirk Cousins knows how I feel about him," O"Connell said. “I"ve held no secrets there. He knows how the Minnesota Vikings feel about him. I believe Kirk wants to be a Viking. And we"re going to work to try to make that the outcome."
Altogether, Adofo-Mensah"s staunch stance and renewed effort to bring both Jefferson and Cousins back on the field send a clear message.
Minnesota Vikings intend to bring their A-game in the coming seasons, squashing the trade rumors surrounding their star receiver.
