"Justin Jefferson about to request trade": NFL fans react to Vikings WR looking visibly upset on sidelines as J.J. McCarthy struggles on MNF vs. Bears

The start of the new season for Justin Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings was unproductive. McCarthy did not play in his rookie season due to injury, but he got a year under his belt to learn about Kevin O'Connell's offense. In his first NFL start, however, things weren't pretty.

McCarthy struggled badly against the Chicago Bears' defense, which allowed 21,7 points per game in the 2024 season. He couldn't connect with his receivers, and even Justin Jefferson, considered by many as the league's best receiver, did not produce any impact: he had just two targets for one catch and four years.

Jefferson was visibly frustrated on the sidelines, reminding fans of Tyreek Hill's attitude during the season opener from the Miami Dolphins against the Indianapolis Colts. As such, NFL fans started to speculate what was happening. Some even started to wonder whether the receiver would ask for a trade:

"Justin Jefferson about to crash out and ask for a trade", said one fan.

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"Vikings need a quarterback as soon as possible. Justin Jefferson [is] demanding a trade if he has to play with this dumbass", wrote a second fan.

"Just trade Jefferson man. I can't take seeing him miserable. Let him free man," begged a third fan.

What is Justin Jefferson earning from the Vikings in the 2025 season?

Prior to the 2024 season, he signed a four-year, $140 million extension, which at the time made him the highest-paid receiver in the league. Although many other wide receivers extended their deals in 2024, he ended that offseason as the league's best-paid receiver.

He has since been surpassed by Ja'Marr Chase, from the Cincinnati Bengals, who signed a deal worth $40.25 million per year after many discussions with the franchise. Jefferson's deal already looks cheap with Micah Parsons now the highest-paid non-quarterback with an average of $47 million per year.

It was a rich deal for the player, but one that the Vikings knew they could never afford to lose. Despite their strong offensive core and the addition of Adam Thielen before the season, he's a superstar by all measurements, and his impact is massive.

About the author

Henrique Bulio is an NFL and College Football journalist at Sportskeeda and the Editor-in-Chief of Pro Football Brasil. He has a total 13 years of experience working in American Football, and playing quarterback at an amateur level in Brazil has given him a unique perspective of the game.

Henrique follows the Philadelphia Eagles closely due to Michael Vick's historic performance on MNF against the Washington Commanders in 2010. His all-time favorite player is Ed Reed; he believes that Reed is the greatest safety to ever play the game. Bill Belichick gets the nod as Henrique's favorite coach for coaching the Patriots to glory over two decades.

If Henrique were to be able to go back in time and watch one game, it would be Super Bowl XLIX, where the Patriots and the Seahawks played a complete, back-and-forth game that concluded with one of the biggest talking points in NFL history.

Technical deep dives are Henrique’s specialty, and he ensures never to use misleading words in his articles, since he himself consumes a lot of information off the web. He has had the privilege of interviewing Cairo Santos, Lamar Jackson, Jim Harbaugh, Sean McDermott, Bruce Arians, Matt LaFleur, among others.

Aside from football, Henrique likes to play poker and Counter-Strike.

Know More

Vikings Nation! Check out the latest Minnesota Vikings Schedule and dive into the Vikings Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Henrique Bulio