Justin Jefferson absent from OTAs as contract negotiations continue

Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was absent from organized team activities on Monday while the team continues towards an extension.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was absent from organized team activities on Monday.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported the absence on social media. The All-Pro wide receiver has been negotiating a contract extension with the Vikings for some time now, but both sides remain apart. His absence is expected to be due to those failed contract talks.

This offseason, the Vikings have remained optimistic about Jefferson’s extension. Both General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Head Coach Kevin O’Connell have said so every time they spoke to the media about it.

During the NFL Draft, Adofo-Mensah mentioned that Jefferson should have his “own week” to celebrate the deal.

While the Vikings have not extended Jefferson, several other prominent wide receivers have locked down deals. Amon’Ra St.Brown of the Detroit Lions and A.J. Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles have been extended with their teams, which could add some extra complications to the deal the Vikings hope to work out.

The receiver market is a complicated one and it gets fuzzier with every passing day.