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CBS Sports Predicts Blockbuster Justin Jefferson Trade

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Justin Jefferson warms up wearing a Damar Hamlin tribute shirt before a Vikings game.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson warms up at Soldier Field on Jan. 8, 2023, wearing a shirt honoring Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin before facing the Chicago Bears in Illinois. The pregame gesture reflected league-wide solidarity as Jefferson prepared for kickoff during a late-season divisional matchup. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is not for sale on the trade block, but CBS Sports doesn’t believe it. Jordan Dajani published “10 crazy predictions” this week, fresh off the steam of the Super Bowl, and at the very top of his list, he predicted Jefferson to Buffalo via trade.

The idea is louder than it looks, because Jefferson’s value is massive, and Minnesota’s financial hit would be brutal.

It’s the latest in an offseason that Minnesota will navigate without general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who was fired on January 30th.

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CBS Sports Tosses a Loud Jefferson Trade Idea Into the Offseason

The offseason starts with one hell of a theory.

Buffalo Bills helmets sit along the sideline during a game in New Orleans. Justin Jefferson trade rumors.
Buffalo Bills helmets line the sideline at Caesars Superdome during second-quarter action against New Orleans, with the scene unfolding on Nov. 25, 2021, in Louisiana. The image captured a quiet stretch as the Saints and Bills battled through a physical matchup, with equipment staged neatly as play continued under the dome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports.

CBS Sports: Jefferson to Bills

Dajani’s article did not include a barrage of trades; it only featured two. Jefferson to Buffalo and George Pickens to the Denver Broncos.

He explained on Jefferson, “Joe Brady’s name popped up on NFL radars in 2019, when he served as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at LSU. The undefeated Tigers had a historical season, which was powered by the play of Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase.”

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“Now, he’s the head coach of the Bills, and this offseason, Buffalo makes an aggressive move to pair its new coach with a friend of his — sending the Minnesota Vikings a package of picks for Jefferson. Why would Buffalo choose now to take a big swing at receiver? After all, Brandon Beane hasn’t been this aggressive before. Realize that the Bills front office is under just as much pressure as Brady to prove that the firing of Sean McDermott wasn’t a mistake.”

For now, the Bills’ WR1 is Khalil Shakir, who usually totals about 750 receiving yards in a season.

Dajani continued, “It’s about winning right now for the Bills, and what they will do is lean into Brady’s vision for the offense. Yes, Brady oversaw the No. 1 rushing attack in the NFL this past season, but his background is passing the ball. Jefferson is coming off his worst NFL season, as he set career lows in receiving yards (1,048) and receiving touchdowns (2).”

“We all know he’s one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. His career 90.2 receiving yards per game ranks No. 2 in NFL history, and his 7,432 receiving yards through five seasons were the most in NFL history. Imagine a talent like Jefferson teaming up with a quarterback like Josh Allen.”

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Vikings fans saw the Dajani theory and grimaced.

A $46 Million Dead Cap Challenge

If the Vikings fulfill this prophecy by trading Jefferson before June 1st, they’ll swallow a dead cap penalty of $46 million. Yes, that means the team would “pay Jefferson not to play here,” which just seems mind-boggling for a player who rather emphatically has not asked for a trade.

Theoretically, trading Jefferson after June 1st would ease the dead cap pain, zinging Minnesota for about $14 million.

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Still, there’s just no reason on God’s green earth for Minnesota to offload its best player when the man has not asked for it.

The Bills’ Would-Be WR Corps

From the Bills’ standpoint, hell yes, adding Jefferson would net dividends and reignite a dejected fan base that just watched the Bills fall short of the AFC Championship in a set of playoffs that didn’t feature Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, or Lamar Jackson for the first time in seven years.

Justin Jefferson celebrates a touchdown against the Seahawks.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson celebrates in the end zone after scoring late at Lumen Field, with the moment arriving on Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. The fourth-quarter touchdown energized Minnesota’s sideline as Jefferson capped the drive against the Seahawks in a hostile road environment under bright primetime lights. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images.

The Bills’ WR group for Josh Allen would look like this:

  • Justin Jefferson
  • Khalil Shakir
  • Keon Coleman
  • Josh Palmer
  • Curtis Samuel
  • Tyrell Shavers
  • Mecole Hardman
  • Stephen Gosnell

The trade would draw parallels to the Vikings-Bills swap in 2020 for Stefon Diggs. You know, the deal that Minnesota used to extract Jefferson from the 2020 NFL Draft.

Vikings Reduced to Nubbins

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Minnesota would probably net a 1st-Rounder for Jefferson or something similar, but the playmaking corps would shrink with the snap of two fingers. Kevin O’Connell would promote Jordan Addison to WR1, probably re-sign Jalen Nailor, get some targets to last year’s rookie Tai Felton, and use free agency or the draft to find one extra competent receiver.

If you’re wondering why the Vikings would trade Jefferson — keep wondering. There’s no good reason for it; Jefferson hasn’t yet turned 27, and the passing game would risk full futility without him.

Justin Jefferson reacts after scoring a touchdown for the Vikings.
Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson reacts after finding the end zone at Bank of America Stadium during third-quarter action, with the play coming on Oct. 1, 2023, in Charlotte. The touchdown punctuated Minnesota’s offensive rhythm as Jefferson answered coverage with precision against Carolina’s secondary in a pivotal road moment. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports.

It’s why most, besides Dajani, don’t think a Jefferson trade is realistic.

Other theories this offseason have suggested that Minnesota could trade Addison — not Jefferson — and those ideas make a bit more sense because Addison isn’t as productive as Jefferson and he can’t stay out of trouble off the field.

The Bills will start the 2026 offseason about $8 million over the salary cap.

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Hearts: Are Derek McInnes’ side developing the habit of champions?

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The late goals are not the only habit that Hearts are forming. Winning the hard way, getting maximum points from a bare minimum performance, is something that title-winning teams do too.

“If you want to challenge for titles and win leagues, you have to win ugly, and Hearts did that tonight,” former Celtic defender Charlie Mulgrew told Premier Sports.

He was not the only pundit to comment on Hearts’ below-par performance. While McInnes named an attacking side, they looked timid in the build up, struggling to stay calm in the typical chaos of an Edinburgh derby.

“They’ll not really care about the performance, they’ve got 12 games to create history,” former Hearts midfielder Ryan Stevenson, who also had a hard job picking a man of the match, told BBC Sportsound.

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“Harry Milne, for me, he tried everything he possible could to affect the game, to drive Hearts forward. Other than him, pretty much all of them were stinking.”

Well, quite. Scott Allan, the former Hibs and Celtic midfielder, was a bit more eloquent in his assessment.

“Tonight was such a big game and to not play well at all… I couldn’t see Hearts scoring a goal, I thought there was only going to be one winner and it was Hibs,” he reflected.

“To win like that, clean sheet as well, it says so much about what you’re building in there.

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“Derek McInnes will not be worried about that performance. What a position that puts Hearts into, going into that game on Sunday.”

Ah yes, the game on Sunday. Rangers at Ibrox. Hearts won there back in September, their first victory away to the blue half of Glasgow since 2014.

No-one could have imagined then that, the next time Hearts came to town, the visitors would still have a lead over their hosts in the standings.

“If they get three points at Ibrox, I think they’ll win the league,” Stevenson predicted. A big call for a big game.

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Nigeria may have a Junior Grand Slam Player this Year

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A Nigerian teenager could play at a tennis Grand Slam this year. His name is Seun Ogunsakin.

Ogunsakin is currently ranked 74 in the world junior rankings, which puts him close to automatic entry into major junior tournaments. He narrowly missed out on playing at the Australian Open Juniors earlier this year, but his ranking now places him in line for the French Open Juniors and Wimbledon Juniors main draws.

Playing at a junior Grand Slam is a big step for any young player. It gives players exposure to top level competition and is often the pathway to professional tennis.

  • Serena Williams eligible to return to Tennis this MonthSerena Williams eligible to return to Tennis this Month

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Ogunsakin has been competing steadily on the ITF junior circuit, picking up points that have helped push his ranking upward.

If he maintains his position, he is expected to gain direct entry into at least one Grand Slam junior event later this year.

Should that happen, Ogunsakin would become one of the few Nigerian players in recent years to feature on tennis’ biggest junior stage.

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Who is Wizards Mascot’s Lawyer Waukeen McCoy? Jaxson Hayes’ History With Attorney Explained

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The individual behind Washington Wizards’ mascot, G-Wiz, has reportedly retained Waukeen McCoy as his legal counsel against LA Lakers big man Jaxson Hayes. McCoy, a San Francisco-based attorney, previously represented Hayes’ former girlfriend in a domestic violence lawsuit.

During pregame introductions before the Lakers’ game against the Wizards on Jan. 30, Hayes shoved G-Wiz. As a result, the NBA suspended Hayes for one game.

According to TMZ on Tuesday, McCoy confirmed he will represent the person behind the mascot, who is expected to press charges.

“We will give them the opportunity to resolve the matter before taking legal action,” McCoy told TMZ. “But legal action is anticipated.”

McCoy is familiar with the Lakers big man, as he helped obtain a settlement for Hayes’ former girlfriend, Sofia Jamora, in a lawsuit against him in June.

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Hayes was arrested in 2021 after authorities received a domestic violence call from his then-girlfriend, Jamora. Hayes also reportedly got into a physical altercation with the police who responded. He received three years of probation, community service and domestic violence classes.

In 2024, after TMZ released a video of the 2021 incident, the NBA said that it would reopen its investigation into Hayes. However, the league has not handed down any punishment for that incident.

What did Jaxson Hayes say about shoving the Wizards’ mascot?

LA Lakers big man Jaxson Hayes served his one-game suspension against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday. He returned to the team in Saturday’s 105-99 win over the Golden State Warriors.

In his postgame media availability, Hayes was asked about the shoving incident with the Washington Wizards’ mascot.

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“Obviously apologized to the team, to the mascot,” Hayes said on Saturday. “I mean, we’re all trying to get ourselves in the mental space and the physical space to get ready to go out and play a game, and when somehow I’m stretching, and somebody steps on my foot, I might have lost it.

“Should have handled it a different way, and we live, and we learn, and so just going to keep doing that again.”

After being shoved by Jaxson Hayes, the mascot fell toward several Wizards dancers who were entering the court. The mascot’s lawyer, Waukeen McCoy, told TMZ on Tuesday that the individual behind the mascot was injured.