For most of this season, it looked like the Minnesota Vikings had a real chance to do something special come playoff time, as they put themselves in position to finish first in the NFC North despite being expected to miss the playoffs.
But they got rolled by the Detroit Lions, who ended up winning the division, in Week 18, and they got rolled once again on Monday in the wild-card round of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Rams.
There have been some rumors that perhaps Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson may ask to be traded, despite signing a big contract extension in June, but he said he is going to remain with Minnesota.
Loyalty: Justin Jefferson is fully committed to the #Vikings:
“I have a new contract, 3 or 4 more years on that contract. I’m locked in, it’s going to be here for those years. Just looking forward to what we have coming up.”
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 15, 2025
Jefferson, whom some could argue is the best wideout in the NFL.
He certainly played a large role in helping quarterback Sam Darnold, who had been dismissed as a bust, in together an excellent season that will also send him to the Pro Bowl.
Of course, there is some uncertainty about what will happen with Darnold, who is about to become a free agent and may not be able to duplicate his performance this season.
But having Jefferson around should make the Vikings at least a somewhat attractive destination if they decide to go after a different QB1 this offseason, as his ability to make contested catches downfield can fatten up just about any signal-caller’s stats.
NEXT: Dan Orlovsky Names The Best Free Agent QB
