Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is not for sale on the trade block, but CBS Sports doesn’t believe it. Jordan Dajani published “10 crazy predictions” this week, fresh off the steam of the Super Bowl, and at the very top of his list, he predicted Jefferson to Buffalo via trade.
The idea is louder than it looks, because Jefferson’s value is massive, and Minnesota’s financial hit would be brutal.
It’s the latest in an offseason that Minnesota will navigate without general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who was fired on January 30th.
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CBS Sports Tosses a Loud Jefferson Trade Idea Into the Offseason
The offseason starts with one hell of a theory.
Buffalo Bills helmets line the sideline at Caesars Superdome during second-quarter action against New Orleans, with the scene unfolding on Nov. 25, 2021, in Louisiana. The image captured a quiet stretch as the Saints and Bills battled through a physical matchup, with equipment staged neatly as play continued under the dome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports.
CBS Sports: Jefferson to Bills
Dajani’s article did not include a barrage of trades; it only featured two. Jefferson to Buffalo and George Pickens to the Denver Broncos.
He explained on Jefferson, “Joe Brady’s name popped up on NFL radars in 2019, when he served as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at LSU. The undefeated Tigers had a historical season, which was powered by the play of Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase.”
“Now, he’s the head coach of the Bills, and this offseason, Buffalo makes an aggressive move to pair its new coach with a friend of his — sending the Minnesota Vikings a package of picks for Jefferson. Why would Buffalo choose now to take a big swing at receiver? After all, Brandon Beane hasn’t been this aggressive before. Realize that the Bills front office is under just as much pressure as Brady to prove that the firing of Sean McDermott wasn’t a mistake.”
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For now, the Bills’ WR1 is Khalil Shakir, who usually totals about 750 receiving yards in a season.
Dajani continued, “It’s about winning right now for the Bills, and what they will do is lean into Brady’s vision for the offense. Yes, Brady oversaw the No. 1 rushing attack in the NFL this past season, but his background is passing the ball. Jefferson is coming off his worst NFL season, as he set career lows in receiving yards (1,048) and receiving touchdowns (2).”
“We all know he’s one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. His career 90.2 receiving yards per game ranks No. 2 in NFL history, and his 7,432 receiving yards through five seasons were the most in NFL history. Imagine a talent like Jefferson teaming up with a quarterback like Josh Allen.”
Vikings fans saw the Dajani theory and grimaced.
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A $46 Million Dead Cap Challenge
If the Vikings fulfill this prophecy by trading Jefferson before June 1st, they’ll swallow a dead cap penalty of $46 million. Yes, that means the team would “pay Jefferson not to play here,” which just seems mind-boggling for a player who rather emphatically has not asked for a trade.
Theoretically, trading Jefferson after June 1st would ease the dead cap pain, zinging Minnesota for about $14 million.
Still, there’s just no reason on God’s green earth for Minnesota to offload its best player when the man has not asked for it.
The Bills’ Would-Be WR Corps
From the Bills’ standpoint, hell yes, adding Jefferson would net dividends and reignite a dejected fan base that just watched the Bills fall short of the AFC Championship in a set of playoffs that didn’t feature Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, or Lamar Jackson for the first time in seven years.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson celebrates in the end zone after scoring late at Lumen Field, with the moment arriving on Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. The fourth-quarter touchdown energized Minnesota’s sideline as Jefferson capped the drive against the Seahawks in a hostile road environment under bright primetime lights. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images.
The Bills’ WR group for Josh Allen would look like this:
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The trade would draw parallels to the Vikings-Bills swap in 2020 for Stefon Diggs. You know, the deal that Minnesota used to extract Jefferson from the 2020 NFL Draft.
Vikings Reduced to Nubbins
Minnesota would probably net a 1st-Rounder for Jefferson or something similar, but the playmaking corps would shrink with the snap of two fingers. Kevin O’Connell would promote Jordan Addison to WR1, probably re-sign Jalen Nailor, get some targets to last year’s rookie Tai Felton, and use free agency or the draft to find one extra competent receiver.
If you’re wondering why the Vikings would trade Jefferson — keep wondering. There’s no good reason for it; Jefferson hasn’t yet turned 27, and the passing game would risk full futility without him.
Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson reacts after finding the end zone at Bank of America Stadium during third-quarter action, with the play coming on Oct. 1, 2023, in Charlotte. The touchdown punctuated Minnesota’s offensive rhythm as Jefferson answered coverage with precision against Carolina’s secondary in a pivotal road moment. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports.
It’s why most, besides Dajani, don’t think a Jefferson trade is realistic.
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Other theories this offseason have suggested that Minnesota could trade Addison — not Jefferson — and those ideas make a bit more sense because Addison isn’t as productive as Jefferson and he can’t stay out of trouble off the field.
The Bills will start the 2026 offseason about $8 million over the salary cap.