The Minnesota Vikings aren’t near the cusp of trading star wide receiver Justin Jefferson, but there is no doubt that he is fed up with the lack of quality quarterback play this season, and the team doesn’t have any good answers to address that problem in the immediate future.
Minnesota is currently $36 million in the red with regards to the 2026 salary cap. That means meaningful cuts to the roster are coming, and that’s with quarterback JJ McCarthy playing on a deal that pays him an annual average salary of just $5.4 million.
The Vikings won’t be in a position to spend $30-$35 million annually on a QB like Daniel Jones, regardless of the advice of analysts across the NFL. That leaves the draft or a reclamation project as the only viable paths to putting a legitimate starter behind McCarthy at QB2 and let the two of them battle it out next spring/summer.
Minnesota probably is not going to use a top draft pick on a QB given all its other needs, which means the options are signing a player like Kenny Pickett in free agency or trading a third-round pick, or something similar, to the San Francisco 49ers for Mac Jones. And still, neither of those players necessarily profiles as a Super Bowl QB, even despite Jones’ resurgence this season.
No deal could happen until next spring anyway, as the deadline to make trades during this football season came and went nearly one month ago. However, Evan Massey of Newsweek suggested a trade proposal on Monday, December 1 that would see Minnesota flip Jefferson to the Kansas City Chiefs for a sizable draft haul. And while that isn’t incredibly realistic at this precise moment, it could become much more so over the next year.
Legitimate Justin Jefferson Trade Discussion May Still Be a Season Away
GettyWide receiver Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings.
Massey’s case is dependent on Jefferson asking for a trade, which isn’t necessarily likely, but is certainly possible.
“Jefferson has been seen clearly frustrated on the sidelines during multiple games this season. That frustration has led to some concern in Minnesota,” Massey wrote. “Could it be possible that Jefferson decides he needs to leave the Vikings to contend for a Super Bowl? Might he decide to request a trade in the future?”
“Should that happen, many teams across the NFL would line up with interest,” Massey continued. “However, there might not be a better potential destination than joining up with Patrick Mahomes on the Kansas City Chiefs.”
Jefferson, 26, has three years remaining on his contract, which is among the most expensive at the position in the league. There is almost zero chance that Minnesota would actually want to move its best player at this point.
But depending on how the quarterback position shakes out next spring, it’s something Jefferson could hypothetically desire and a move the Vikings might have to consider — especially if a couple of first-round draft picks were on the table.
Chiefs Might Be Willing to Pay King’s Ransom for Justin Jefferson Amid Patrick Mahomes’ Prime
GettyKansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Taking on a $35 million annual average salary for two or two and a half seasons, plus giving up two first-round picks and maybe even more, would be a massive price for the Chiefs to pay for Jefferson. That said, Kansas City may both have the incentive and feel the pressure to do so.
The Chiefs have yet to miss an AFC title game with quarterback Patrick Mahomes under center, but the team is currently staring down a considerably worse fate after a 6-6 start to the campaign.
Kansas City is the No. 10 seed in the conference heading into Week 14 with a 33 percent chance of earning a spot in the playoffs, according to NFL.com. But even if the Chiefs win out — or at worst go 4-1 down the stretch — and sneak into the tournament, the front office and coaching staff will grapple with serious personnel issues heading into 2026.
The offensive line poses a couple of major questions, as does the running back position behind it. The defensive line is legitimately weak, while the secondary has taken a major step back from recent Super Bowl runs.
Kansas City has some big-play threats in the pass game with Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy, but the Chiefs could still be in the market for an elite-level receiver like Jefferson. Perhaps more than anything, Mahomes could use such a player to help him resurrect a more consistent explosiveness on offense, such as the one that existed when Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill roamed opposing secondaries during their respective primes.
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