The new-look Pittsburgh Steelers are being linked to Minnesota Vikings superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson, the biggest name dominating the trade rumor mill right now.
Jefferson hasn’t formally requested a trade, but he is about to enter the final year of his rookie contract. And it was reported just last week by ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Jefferson rejected an extension worth over $30 million annually ahead of last season.
Minnesota also lost four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons in free agency. This has further led to speculation that Jefferson may not want to commit to Minnesota long-term without a star QB in place.
Antonio Brown’s CTESPN outlet stated that the Steelers have spoken to the Vikings about a “potential trade for” Jefferson.
Source: BREAKING NEWS #CTESPN
Bengals tried restructuring and explored trades. As of now at a stand still. Justin Jefferson trade highly unlikely at this point.
New source says Steelers and Vikings have talked on potential trade for Justin Jefferson pic.twitter.com/XQxdQ9LMSB
— CTESPNNetwork (@CtespnN) March 14, 2024
Though Brown has a long history of starting up rumors without merit, it should be noted that his network did announce the Russell Wilson-to-Steelers news days before it was actually made official.
Sources: #CTESPN BREAKING NEWS
Russell Wilson has agreed to a 1 year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers
— CTESPNNetwork (@CtespnN) March 8, 2024
The Steelers traded away former 1,000-yard wideout Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers last week, so there’s a need for more pass-catching help. And who better to fill that void than the league’s best wide receiver?
Pittsburgh swapped out Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph for Wilson and Justin Fields. Adding Jefferson to the mix would mean there’s no limit on the potential of Pittsburgh’s revamped offense.
Justin Jefferson Would Make The Steelers Super Bowl Contenders
The Steelers already have George Pickens, Pat Freiermuth, Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren to headline a stout group of playmakers. But Jefferson is in another tier, and he would single-handedly change the dynamic of this Pittsburgh offense.
If you thought the Antonio Brown-Ben Roethlisberger connection was prolific, imagine what Wilson or Fields could do with Jefferson. Wilson put up Pro Bowl numbers in Seattle for years before D.K. Metcalf’s arrival, and there’s no telling what he could do with Jefferson stepping in as his new WR1.
