Justin Jefferson mega-deal shows value in Eagles GM Howie Roseman moving on extensions early

Tyler Lauletta

Justin Jefferson mega-deal shows value in Eagles GM Howie Roseman moving on extensions early image

The Minnesota Vikings reached a deal with superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson that will make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.

On Monday, news broke of Jefferson signing a four-year, $140 million contract extension that includes $110 million guaranteed, resetting the market for all position players across the league.

"The time has finally come. The deal I've been waiting for since I was a little kid," Jefferson said on Instagram. "Being doubted my whole career. Not being highly recruited. Not being the first receiver off the draft board. This whole journey wasn't easy for me. ... To be given a gift to play football at the highest level, it's a blessing. It's an honor."

When it comes to NFL extensions, earlier is usually better

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While the deal is a boon for Jefferson, it also shows the value in moving early on extensions for budding superstars. Had Minnesota been able to reach a deal with Jefferson in the previous offseason, they would have saved millions against the salary cap for years to come. Instead, Jefferson will make up a higher percentage of the team’s cap moving forward, and while he deserves every penny, it means the team will have to be a bit more flexible elsewhere on the roster.

Moving early on deals is something Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has made a habit of, and more often than not, it works out.

This offseason, the Eagles signed wide receiver DeVonta Smith to an extension, despite still having two years left on his rookie deal. Rather than short-change Smith for another year and set up a tough negotiation in the coming offseason, Roseman and the Eagles decided to spend now so that they could save later, giving Smith a three-year, $75 million deal that will keep him Philadelphia for the foreseeable future.

The benefit of moving early on such a deal is that it allows teams to pay a market rate that is only going to go up further. Had the Eagles waited until after Jefferson’s deal was inked to extend Smith, the price would, barring a dramatic injury in the coming year, undoubtedly be higher. In many cases, deals that feel expensive in the moment in the NFL will look like quite a steal just a few years down the line.

Extending early to get a value is not just true of rookie contracts, although that is where the disparity is most glaring. Still, the Eagles move to extend A.J. Brown early in the offseason was a similarly frugal move. Had Brown waited to sign his extension until after Jefferson, the deal almost certainly would have been pricier. At the very least, it wouldn’t have been cheaper.

Of course, this strategy does not always work out, and famously once blew up the Eagles’ cap due to the disastrous extension of quarterback Carson Wentz. No move in the NFL comes without risk.

Still, the benefits of moving early are clear, especially if you have a player that could potentially reset a positional market. Don’t be surprised if Roseman and the Eagles make some other big moves to extend players early in the 2025 offseason.

Tyler Lauletta

Tyler Lauletta Photo

Tyler Lauletta has been working in sports media for nearly a decade, with stops at Business Insider and Sports Illustrated. Residing just outside Philadelphia, he is a recovering Truster of the Process and remains a sicko for the Eagles, Sixers and Phillies. He’s covered the Super Bowl and World Series from the press box and hopes to finagle his way into Wimbledon in the near future. You can follow him on X/Twitter @tylerlauletta.