The Minnesota Vikings started their voluntary offseason program on Monday, and star wide receiver Justin Jefferson was notably absent.

The All-Pro is entering the final year of his rookie contract, set to make $19.7 million. The pressure now seems even higher to hammer out an extension for Jefferson while also replacing Kirk Cousins, who left for the Atlanta Falcons in free agency.

The wide receiver market was already tough to navigate, but DeVonta Smith’s extension with the Philadelphia Eagles, announced Monday, makes things even tougher. Along with Jefferson, several other notable receivers are vying for extensions, including CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys, Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals, and Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers.

As each one gets an extension, the task gets even harder because the price goes up.

Jefferson should be expected to make north of $30 million per year when he finalizes his deal. The team has been asked prior, specifically during the NFL Scouting Combine in March, about trading Jefferson and harshly denied that being a possibility. Keeping Jefferson will be key for the team going forward, especially for whoever is under center in 2024 and beyond.

For now, don’t read too much into Jefferson’s absence. This is him letting the team know that he wants a deal done sooner rather than later.

Story originally appeared on Vikings Wire