Justin Jefferson lately signed a market-altering contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings.
The deal, price $140 million over 4 years ($110 million assured), made Jefferson the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL historical past, a distinction that raises an enchanting query on the subject of trendy roster constructing.
Is vast receiver now the most dear place apart from quarterback?
“It’s being handled as such, clearly, with the contracts and the draft capital we’re seeing with all these receivers going excessive up within the first spherical now,” NESN’s Ricky Doyle mentioned final week on the newest episode of “The Unfold” podcast. “It’s fairly clear there’s an emphasis on receivers.”
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“The argument in favor of receivers is that the passing recreation is that essential in right this moment’s NFL,” he added.
For years, different positions had been held in larger regard, from a contractual standpoint. Elite move rushers, for example, garnered large paydays, whereas franchises seemingly had been reluctant to overexert themselves for top-notch receivers.
The NFL advanced, although, with explosive, passing-centric offenses now taking middle stage. And gamers like Jefferson — arguably one of the best vast receiver within the league — due to this fact are being rewarded handsomely.
“The very best quarterbacks can succeed with out elite vast receivers. And I feel one of the best vast receivers can succeed with out elite quarterbacks, to an extent,” Doyle mentioned, attempting to make sense of the present panorama. “However on the identical time, there’s no denying that it’s this symbiotic relationship, the place the vast receiver not less than wants some regular quarterback play.”
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Maybe the best method to assault the talk — though not essentially the best method to reply the query — is by contemplating a full-scale NFL draft involving each participant within the league: At what level do non-quarterbacks begin coming off the board? And who’re these gamers?
Age and contracts apart, Jefferson headlines a crazy-talented group of vast receivers that features Tyreek Hill, Ja’Marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb and A.J. Brown, amongst others. On the protection facet, there’s no denying the impression guys like Micah Parsons, Myles Garrett, Nick Bosa and T.J. Watt could make.
So, in terms of pinpointing essentially the most worthwhile non-QB within the NFL, Jefferson is pretty much as good a solution as any — proper now. However there are a number of elements concerned, and the dialog may shift earlier than it.
