The Minnesota Vikings recently signed Justin Jefferson to a four-year extension worth up to $140 million, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Long before the deal was finalized, several NFL teams reached out to inquire about trading for the elite wide receiver.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the San Francisco 49ers were among those teams.
Taylor Wirth of NBC Sports Bay Area reports that, while discussing if trade conversations ever got serious on "The Adam Schefter Podcast," Schefter stated, "Never ever got close. Some teams reached out. The New York Jets reached out about Justin Jefferson. The Indianapolis Colts reached out about Justin Jefferson, you know that? The 49ers reached out about Justin Jefferson, you know that?"
The 49ers are currently negotiating with their star wideout, Brandon Aiyuk, to sign the team's leading receiver last season to a contract extension. Aiyuk did not report to the team's mandatory minicamp this week, and the negotiations, at last report, were reportedly still far apart.
Schefter noted that these inquiries occurred before the draft, and the Vikings quickly informed teams that a Jefferson trade was not an option.
"The conversations went nowhere with anybody, so it was a moot point," Schefter continued. "And by the way, there should have been 31 teams that were calling the Vikings and checking in to see if there was any way they would trade the wide receiver who wanted a new deal, who they struggled to get a new deal done with. Everybody should have called."
If the Vikings had entertained the inquiries and the 49ers had managed to acquire Jefferson, it would have been one of the biggest trades in franchise history and another big move showing the team's commitment to winning a championship. Just two years ago, San Francisco traded for running back Christian McCaffrey, and acquiring Jefferson could have led to Aiyuk being traded ahead of the draft.
Deebo Samuel was also part of trade discussions leading up to the draft. When asked about it on Tuesday, the receiver told reporters, "Had a conversation with my agent about it. They was going back and forth with whoever it was. It was a thing at first, but we done moved past it. So we here, and we here to get better."
Of course, none of that transpired, and the 49ers continue to work on a long-term extension for Aiyuk, who has recorded back-to-back seasons of over 1,000 receiving yards.
