Sad news: official announced that Justin Jefferson he might not be playing due to…..

Minnesota Vikings fans anxiously awaiting a Justin Jefferson contract extension can rest easy.

No, there’s still not a new contract, but head coach Kevin O’Connell made it plain on Up & Adams that No. 18 isn’t going anywhere:

The head coach’s words might ring familiar to some as they sound exactly like what he said about Kirk Cousins before he signed a $180 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons.

However, the two situations have little in common. There’s even less doubt as to Jefferson’s inevitable signing, but here’s the hold-up.

In the NFL, contracts within position groups set the market. As the salary cap continues to climb, so do player paychecks.

That’s especially true at premium positions like wide receiver.

Therefore, an influx of true game changers like Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, and Ja’Marr Chase can turn things into a waiting game.

Whichever of these three top-end talents signs first could end up with the smallest contract, relatively.

That’s why Jared Goff now ranks as the second-highest-paid player in the league, even though we all know he’s not even a top-five QB.

Jefferson has proven to be not only the best of the three, but perhaps the most important offensive player who is not a quarterback.

The Vikings’ superstar, Christian McCaffrey, and Tyreek Hill could all make decent claims at that title. Certainly, O’Connell understands his value:

With the 35-year-old Cousins coming off an Achilles injury and the Atlanta Falcons willing to splash the pot, it’s understandable why the Vikings couldn’t go that high to keep their QB.

But with Jefferson’s age (24) and resume, there’s no way you can’t keep him unless you plan on being run out of town.