We have reached the point in the offseason when stalled contract talks are upgraded from a latent distraction to an actual problem. Justin Jefferson still has not inked the historic long-term extension we all expect from the Minnesota Vikings. As rookie QB J.J. McCarthy gets up to speed in OTAs, it would behoove the Vikings to cement their WR room as soon as possible.

The common thinking has been that Minnesota will eventually lock up Jefferson. But, according to Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Minnesota very nearly pivoted away from Jefferson in the NFL Draft. There was “buzz” about the Vikings moving up from No. 11 to No. 5 to effectively replace Jefferson with Malik Nabers.

That obviously didn’t happen, but it signals a potential willingness — or maybe even a desire — to reset the Vikings’ competitive timeline. Jefferson isn’t exactly old at 24 years old, but it doesn’t make sense to dish out the largest WR contract in NFL history when the team isn’t equipped to win. Jefferson will sap away significant financial flexibility if Minnesota re-signs him and the Vikings’ QB depth chart is rife with uncertainty. McCarthy is inexperienced even by rookie standards and Sam Darnold is more or less a career backup at this point. That does not sound like the best recipe for team-building.

It’s not hard to mount an argument in favor of re-upping Jefferson, who is arguably the best wideout in the NFL at 24 years old. Keep him around and figure it out. That is the stance some will take. It’s a completely valid position.

If the Vikings do end up floating Jefferson on the trade market, however, the most obvious landing spot is a few clicks east with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Few NFL offenses need a shot in the arm like the Steelers. Jefferson would be more than sufficient.