The Minnesota Vikings signed wide receiver Justin Jefferson to a four-year, $140 million contract extension this week, but not before they received some significant trade offers for the superstar. Like from the San Francisco 49ers, for example.
Apparently, the 49ers attempted to swing a trade for Jefferson earlier this offseason.
You have to imagine that was a pretty quick phone call, as the Vikings had no intention of trading Jefferson. Of course, they may have considered a move if a team blew them away with an offer, but they surely had their sights on extending Jefferson all along.
The fact that San Francisco tried to make a move for Jefferson is interesting considering it is having enough trouble keeping Brandon Aiyuk long term.
What Would the 49ers Have Done if They Acquired Justin Jefferson?
The Niners have significant financial constraints. That’s why Aiyuk is currently embroiled in a contract dispute with the club and has failed to show up for mandatory minicamp.
You can understand why the 49ers are reluctant to extend Aiyuk just yet.
San Francisco already made defensive end Nick Bosa the highest-paid defensive player in football. It just gave running back Christian McCaffrey a two-year extension. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel is under contract through 2025. Plus, Brock Purdy becomes eligible for a new deal next offseason.
But it makes you wonder what the Niners would have done had they acquired Jefferson?
Now, it’s entirely possible the 49ers may have made an exception for Jefferson, who is a generational talent and is surely superior to Aiyuk. That’s no disrespect to Aiyuk, who is a very good receiver in his own right, but he is no Justin Jefferson.
Still, San Francisco does have limited resources, just like the other 31 teams in the NFL. So, it would have been interesting to see how the Niners would have juggled things financially had they somehow snared Jefferson in a blockbuster trade with Minnesota.
But, Jefferson re-signed with the Vikings anyway, so this point is essentially moot.
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