Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson has 140 million reasons to be excited about playing football in 2024, but there is considerable uncertainty over who will throw the ball to him.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins teamed with Jefferson to make a formidable passing duo, but the signal caller left town for Atlanta in the offseason.
Meanwhile, Jefferson signed a record-breaking $140 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid pass catcher in NFL history.
Jefferson explained his feelings about Cousins leaving the Vikings to Rich Eisen and how he believes Minnesota will stack up with a new quarterback leading the offense.
Sam Darnold is the apparent starter heading into the season, though the team drafted Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy in the first round with the obvious intention of making him their quarterback of the future.
Jefferson told Eisen that Darnold is doing a “great job” of communicating and connecting with the offense.
If Darnold can resurrect his once-promising career, the still-young quarterback has considerable weapons around him to prosper.
Eisen asked Jefferson if he was surprised when Cousins left, and he indicated he both was and wasn’t.
The receiver noted that Minnesota was faced with paying multiple players what they were worth, including himself, and Cousins realized that the best opportunities for him were elsewhere.
Jefferson expressed his gratitude for what he and Cousins accomplished while acknowledging that the NFL is a business and such decisions will be made.
He further explained that, no matter who the quarterback is, he will always work to be in the best situation and make the offense productive.
