Last season was a challenging one for Minnesota Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson. While Jefferson did cross over the 1,000-yard receiving mark, it was a grind to reach that point.
During the 2025 campaign, Jefferson played 392 pass snaps for the Vikings, leading to an 80.5 overall PFF grade. Jefferson hauled in 84 receptions on 140 targets for 1,048 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Moreover, he averaged 12.5 yards per reception and generated 435 yards after the catch while having five drops. As a result, this QB competition that Minnesota is having impacts so many players outside of J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray.
“Good Morning Football” co-host Jamie Erdahl is one NFL media member who wants the Vikings to figure out their QB situation for the sake of Jefferson, who is in his prime and should be putting up monster numbers.
“I’m Team Justin Jefferson,” Erdahl said during a July 24 appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “You’ve heard me talk about it before. Honestly, this has stuck in my head since the offseason. That man is such a professional. Justin Jefferson has shown up for whatever has happened. I don’t think it’s been done to him intentionally.
“I think they’ve just gotten into some pickles between the contract situation with Sam Darnold on the one-year deal and drafting J.J. McCarthy. They basically backed themselves into a parking spot. I think you’re at the end of the rope with Justin, essentially.
“If he were to throw a fit, which I know he wouldn’t because he is a professional, I’d be like, ‘Yeah, that tracks.‘ I’d be infuriated if I were as talented as him. You are the brand. You are the Vikings.”
Vikings Need to Find a QB to Help Justin Jefferson
Moreover, Erdahl wants Jefferson to have a QB that allows Jefferson to continue to cement himself as arguably one of, if not the best, wideouts to ever play for the Vikings.
“This is a team with a beautifully historic list of names at the wide receiver position, and all he’s trying to do is continue that,“ Erdahl added. “Just give him a guy. I don’t care who the guy is. I really don’t. Just find the one. We thought we had the guy [in Sam Darnold]. Then he went and did what he did.”
Justin Jefferson’s Status as Top NFL Wideout Questioned
Jefferson’s production from last season took a hit to his status as the best wide receiver in the league, at least for one analyst. Recently, with the sporadic play from the QB position, CBS Sports’ Leger Douzable is questioning Jefferson’s status as the best wideout in the NFL.
Douzable stated that, for him, there are two better receivers than the Vikings star for that top spot as the league’s best wide receiver.
“Obviously, J.J. McCarthy really struggled at quarterback, but when I look over the last two seasons, and you look at the receivers who are No. 1 and No. 2 in receiving yards, you have Ja’Marr Chase and Jaxon Smith-Njigba,“ Douzable said on a June 25 appearance on “CBS Sports HQ.”
It will be interesting to see if Murray or an improved McCarthy can help Jefferson get back to the production many are used to seeing from him this upcoming 2026 season.
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