NFL Trade Rumors: Colts explored Justin Jefferson trade before $140,000,000 Vikings deal, per Insider

Justin Jefferson reportedly agreed to a four-year, $140 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings on Monday. However, one rumor alleges that another upper-midwest team took a shot at getting the honors.

According to Adam Schefter via radio host Kevin Bowen on Twitter/X, the Indianapolis Colts explored getting arguably the most coveted receiver in the league.

The rumor didn't go into how much such a trade might have cost, but one can reasonably surmise that it may have been the blockbuster move of the year. The Colts are hungry for a breakout for young signal caller Anthony Richardson and they needed a defense-altering pass catcher like Jefferson for that.

Instead, the Vikings and Jefferson agreed at the negotiation table, netting the top salary in the NFL for a non-QB player. Jefferson is guaranteed to earn $110 million over the next four seasons, with the potential to earn up to $140 million.

Anthony Richardson missed most of his rookie season last year due to injury and after Andrew Luck's injuries led to his retirement, the Colts have been searching for a solution ever since.

How Justin Jefferson's $140 million deal affects pending WR extensions

Justin Jefferson at Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings

Justin Jefferson's deal is done, but there remain several key pieces urgently awaiting contract extensions.

With Jefferson's deal done, CeeDee Lamb and Ja'Marr Chase loom as potentially the next biggest extensions that could be coming this offseason.

Jefferson's deal raises the bar for wide receiver salaries across the board. Also, because his record-breaking contract came after a down year due to injuries, Lamb and Ja'Marr Chase have reason to argue that they deserve a similar number as they were healthy.

Chase and Lamb are also coming off one of the best seasons in their careers, with a steady upward trend. As such, Jefferson's record-breaking deal is a rising tide that lifts all ships. However, it falls on the agents of other wide receivers to harness the correct extrapolations from the deal to underline their cases.