On Monday morning, Vikings star Justin Jefferson signed a big ol' contract. The new deal is a four-year extension worth $140 million, which not only makes him the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history, but also the highest paid non-QB in NFL history. After an offseason full of wondering what his endgame in Minnesota was, it turns out the answer ended up being the most obvious one. Funny how that works!
I assume it's right about now when you're wondering what Vikings' wide receiver news has to do with the Raiders. And I'm here to tell you that, frankly, the answer is nothing. Honestly, it's hard to think of a team that has less to do with the Raiders than the Vikings. But that is not how Online Discourse works, and it's certainly not how Online Content works either. So in honor of both, let's ask a question that didn't need to be asked: after this Justin Jefferson deal, should Davante Adams want a raise?
Should Davante Adams ask for a raise in wake of Jefferson contract?
1. Yeah, duh
On paper, Adams had a better season last year. He had more receptions (103) than Jefferson (68), more yards (1,144) than Jefferson (1,074), and more touchdowns (8). He also played in seven more games than Jefferson, which only really speaks to how insane it was that the Vikings' star managed to put up close to the same stats while missing almost half the season.
But still, any agent worth their salt won't let "context" and "details" get in the way of some nice new leverage. Adams is going to have roughly a $25 million cap hit next season, and according to Over The Cap, his totally yearlly average is hovering right around $28 million. That's currently 5th highest in the NFL, and will obviously be 6th once Jefferson's deal becomes official.
So, not a whole ton of wiggle room for upwards movement. It definitely doesn't help that Adams' cap hit balloons in 2025 and 2026, though his guaranteed money stops and any dead money if the Raiders' moved on would be way more tolerable. I'm all for everyone asking for raises – it's not my money – but Adams doesn't have a great case.
2. No way
I'm not going to make an argument for this because, again, everyone should always ask for raises. The worst they can say is no. Or trade you to Carolina for cap relief.