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7 days ago
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Report: Justin Jefferson Really Starting to Make Minnesota Home
Justin Jefferson was selected by the Minnesota Vikings No. 22 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. In the five years since, Jettas has caught 495 passes for 7,432 yards and 40 touchdowns. He's already piled up four pro bowls and two 1st Team All-Pro selections, along with the 2022 offensive player of the year award. Entering the 2025 season, Justin Jefferson's 96.5 receiving yards per game is the most in NFL history, among qualified wide receivers. In June, Jefferson will turn 26 years old, putting him on pace to be a cinch Hall of Famer by the age of 30, if he continues to play the way he has. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Twins Jettas went to Louisiana State University (LSU). But that part of the country is more than just his college town. Justin was born and raised in St. Rose, Louisiana — just one hour to the southeast of the LSU campus. He's been a Tiger since the day he was born. Justin Jefferson making Minnesota home more than ever before But now that Justin Jefferson has signed a 4-year, $140 million contract to remain in Minnesota for the long haul, it sounds like he is starting to migrate his full-time living situation north. Advertisement According to Darren Wolfson (KSTP) on a recent episode of the Mackey & Judd Show, JJ has been spending noticeably large amount of this offseason — way more than ever before — in Minnesota. 'One thing that jumped out to me, just discussing it with some people, is that Justin Jefferson — like he still has a presence in Louisiana, don't get me wrong — but there's been a shift. This is now home. Like, he is spending a good chunk of the spring and summer here in the Twin Cities. That is a shift from years past. So make of that whatever you want to make of it, but Justin Jefferson's presence here in the Twin Cities in the offseason has now ramped up considerably.' Darren Wolfson – Mackey & Judd (SKOR North) There are some tidbits of news that make you smile. I've never been to the Baton Rouge area, so I am not here to run it down or tote the Twin Cities area as superior to New Orleans. But for those of us who grew up in Minnesota, on the lakes, enjoying the best two-three months of the year in lake-filled paradise, this is no surprise. Where would you rather be in the late spring/summer? In the 100 degree heat and humidity of the swampy Louisiana wetlands or on one of the 10,000 lakes of Minnesota? That was a rhetorical question. Advertisement Related: Minnesota Vikings OTAs Were Notably Intense; *Most* Absences Due to Prior Injuries This also explains why Justin Jefferson has been spotted at so many local events, including a celebrity softball game over the weekend, along with multiple Minnesota Timberwolves playoff games. It's probably much easier for him to attend voluntary workouts in eagan and carry out his captain duties for the Vikings, when he is staying in town that time of year. With his new massive contract in hand, it sounds like Jettas is here to stay. And not just during football season, either. Related Headlines
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7 days ago
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Minnesota Vikings OTAs Were Notably Intense; *Most* Absences Due to Prior Injuries
The Minnesota Vikings held their first round of full-team offseason workouts this week, where turnout was incredible. Harrison Smith was present, as was Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and, of course, redshirt rookie QB1 JJ McCarthy. Not only were most of the Vikings key veterans in attendance for voluntary OTAs, but according to Darren Wolfson (KSTP) during his latest scoop session on SKOR North, the practices this week in Eagan were notably intense. Minnesota Vikings OTAs were notably intense this week Not only did the longtime local reporter (who has attended hundreds of Vikings practices) notice the pumped up competitiveness, though. New CB Jeff Okudah, who previously played for the Dan Campbell-led Lions, expressed his surprise with how intense the 7-vs-7 practice sessions were too. 'I thought it was a pretty spirited practice, for OTA session number two. You know, just the competitive nature of it. I had a nice chat with Jeff Okudah after practice. He noted that and so I just thought that was pretty interesting for late in May. I did not expect to see some of the stuff we saw on Wednesday. You know, seven on seven and all that, just how spirited it was, how competitive it was. I did not expect to see that for May 28th.' Darren Wolfson – Mackey & Judd Show (SKOR North) Advertisement If you are a Minnesota Vikings fan reading this article or watching that scoop session, you have to be excited about how this first week of offseason workouts went. For all of the team's stars to show up ready to work and improve on what was an incredible 2024 season, it's clear O'Connell & Co. are already locked in and hungry for more success. Related: Kevin O'Connell Wins Another Award You know 100% that, not only are other teams missing a lot of big names on their OTA attendance sheet, but it's highly unlikely others are coming in this focused and determined to get better. That's a really good sign, especially for a Vikings team that sportsbooks and most pundits are picking to be a middling NFC squad in 2025. Most Minnesota Vikings OTA absences due to injury Of course, not every key Minnesota Vikings player for 2025 was on the TCO Performance Center practice fields this week. Most notably, Christian Darrisaw was missing at left tackle (replaced by Justin Skule) and Will Fries was replaced by Blake Brandel at right guard. Advertisement Of course, both Darrisaw and Fries are recovering from major leg injuries. The former went out in week 11 of last season with a major knee injury that required surgery. The latter broke his leg. According to what Kevin O'Connell told reporters in his presser, Fries isn't expected to practice until training camp. Fries, their top external signing in March, may not practice fully until training camp, O'Connell said, or nearly 10 months after sustaining a broken tibia on Oct. 6. The Vikings' top nine blockers may be set if they're content with Rouse, a 2024 sixth-round pick, as a hybrid tackle/guard. Skule, the 28-year-old former 49er and Buccaneer, replaces David Quessenberry as the backup tackle. Jurgens, a 2024 seventh-round pick, is the backup center. Ben Goessling (Star Tribune) Meanwhile, Darrisaw was working out with cleats on the sideline this week. The Minnesota Vikings hope he is ready to return for the start of the regular season. It's also worth mentioning the RG/LG alignment. Related: MN Vikings Insider Unable to Dig Up Any Dirt on JJ McCarthy With Fries out, Brandel slid over to right guard, while 1st round rookie, Donovan Jackson worked with the first team at left guard, where he is supposed to be competing with Brandel as a starter. Does that mean Jackson can be written in to start week one? No, but it is worth monitoring how many snaps Brandel gets on the left side, while Fries continues his rehab. The other injury absence was Rondale Moore, who continues his rehab from a torn ACL. Not only is he expected to compete for the WR3 job, if healthy, but he could be a factor in the return game too. Where in the world is Isaiah Rodgers…? The only non-injury OTA absence that was mentioned by reporters who were in Eagan this week was new CB Isaiah Rodgers. In his absence, the aforementioned Okudah and second-year 2024 undrafted free agent signee Dwight McGlothern got reps with the first team defense. Mechi Blackmon got some run too. Coaches were getting long looks at Okudah, the former Lions top pick on his fourth NFL team, and McGlothern, last year's undrafted darling, with the first-team defense on Wednesday. Blackmon appeared to be getting some work, too, as he's 10 months removed from a torn ACL. Rodgers, the ex-Eagles reserve who got a two-year deal to play a bigger role in Minnesota, was not seen at practice. Ben Goessling (Star Tribune) It is important to remember that these workouts are 'voluntary' and we do not know why the newly signed corner was not in attendance. Nonetheless, it's news worth mentioning.
