Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson has been considered the gold standard at his position ever since his breakout 88-catch, 1,400-yard rookie season.
Since then, he’s reeled off four more 1,000-yard seasons, including a career-high 1,809 yards and 128 receptions in 2022, while winning NFL Offensive Player of the Year, being selected to four Pro Bowls and earning four All-Pro honors.
And while many still consider Jefferson to be the top WR in the NFL right now, some believes his biggest competition for that title is former LSU teammate and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
Jefferson set the market for wide receivers last offseason when he signed a four-year, $140 million contract extension. His $35 million-per-year salary turned a lot of heads as it became the new benchmark that Chase was expected to top once he became eligible for his extension.
Chase signed his new monster extension over the weekend, and he didn’t just top what Jefferson makes by a few hundred thousand dollars, he cleared it by a few million.
Cincinnati signed Chase to a record four-year, $161 million deal ($40.25 million per year), making him the highest-paid WR and non-QB in the league.
The day after the news broke, a video of an interview Chase did last season in which he was asked if reports were true that he wanted to best Jefferson by a penny went viral all over again.
“If I’m going to beat Justin, I want to beat the [expletive] out of Justin,” Chase told reporters during the season.
It’s not known where the initial report of the one penny theory originated from, but the 25-year-old Chase didn’t hesitate to debunk it.
In four seasons, Chase, a former Offensive Rookie of the Year, four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro selection, has totaled 395 catches, 5,425 yards, and 46 touchdowns.
Through his first four seasons, Jefferson logged 392 receptions, 5,899 yards and 30 scores.
