Since entering the NFL in 2020, Justin Jefferson has established himself as one of the league’s best wide receivers.

Now, the former LSU star is going to be paid like one.

Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings have agreed to a four-year, $140 million contract extension according to multiple reports Monday morning and later confirmed by both Jefferson and the team.

The deal makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

"The time has finally come, the deal I've been waiting for since I was a little kid," Jefferson said in a video he posted to his Instagram account. "Being doubted my whole career. Not being highly recruited. Not being the first receiver off the draft board. This whole journey wasn't easy for me. ... To be given a gift to play football at the highest level, it's a blessing. It's an honor."

The agreement is the end result of what was ultimately a savvy decision from Jefferson, who played at LSU from 2017-19 and was the second-leading receiver on the Tigers’ 2019 national championship team loaded with future NFL draft picks. The day before the 2023 season, Jefferson declined a contract offer from the Vikings that would have paid him an average of $28 million annually.

Though he missed seven games due to injury and was negatively affected by the Vikings’ revolving door at quarterback after a season-ending Achilles tear to starter Kirk Cousins in late October, Jefferson was still productive, finishing with 68 catches for 1,074 yards and five touchdowns.

For his career, Jefferson, a three-time Pro Bowler and the 2022 NFL offensive player of the year, has 392 receptions for 5,899 yards and 30 touchdowns.

Justin Jefferson contract details

The deal Jefferson reportedly agreed to is a four-year contract extension worth $140 million, $110 million of which is guaranteed.

Of the money the 24-year-old Jefferson is set to receive, $88.743 million of it is due at signing, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. His contract breakdown is relatively straightforward as far as major deals go, with much of his salary for the first two years of it being paid in bonuses. The guaranteed money in 2026 and 2027 then becomes more dramatic (numbers from Spotrac):

• 2025: $15.32 million

• 2026: $39.14 million

• 2027: $43.4 million

• 2028: $47.39 million

The $35 million average annual value of the extension is the highest among non-quarterbacks in the NFL while his guaranteed money in his deal is the second-most among non-quarterbacks, behind only San Francisco 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa’s $119.9 million he earned in a deal he signed in September 2023.

The next-closest wide receivers to Jefferson in average annual value are A.J. Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles ($32 million), Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions ($30 million) and Jaylen Waddle of the Miami Dolphins ($28.3 million). Brown, St. Brown and Waddle have all signed new deals in the past two months.

Only one other NFL wide receiver — Brown, at $82 million — has a contract with more than $80 million guaranteed.

Highest-paid NFL wide receivers for 2024

With Jefferson now leading the way, here is a look at the six highest-paid NFL wide receivers heading into the 2024 season, based on their average annual value over the next three seasons:

• Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings: $35 million

• A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles: $32 million

• Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions: $30 million

• Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins: $28.3 million

• Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams: $26.7 million

• Stefon Diggs, Houston Texans: $26.2 million

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Justin Jefferson contract details: Vikings receiver earns record extension