Whenever a player gets an extension, the question is who is next, especially when someone resets the market like Justin Jefferson did. The wide receiver position is loaded with talent heading into the 2024 season, specifically, talent looking to get paid.
Bill Barnwell of ESPN wrote an article discussing who is next regarding big-money contracts at the receiver position. He points to Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb being next in line.
“Now that Jefferson has reset the market, though, the Cowboys will probably need to pay (CeeDee) Lamb even more than his Vikings counterpart to get his deal done.”
It is not just Lamb though, the Saints, Rams, Jets, and Bengals are all in similar boats with their star wide receivers.
“The same will be true for Chase and, down the line, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and (Puka) Nacua. Having Jefferson signed for $35 million per year becomes a better deal when Lamb gets $36 million, Chase gets $37 million and Wilson picks up $40 million per season.”
It won’t be a knock on Justin Jefferson at all. This happens to every position across the entire NFL. Each player that comes up and showcases themselves as stars feels they deserve to be made special by the team they play for, and rightfully so.
The passing game in the NFL is at an all-time high between the quarterback play and the wide receivers involved, paying them is just a matter of fact.