Getty Images
No receiver has ever won the NFL’s MVP award. Not a single one. Could this be the yr that changes?
The issue for nice receivers is that there’s at all times a quarterback who made them great. Between the 2, the quarterback will get the majority of the votes — or at the least enough of them to dilute the receiver’s tally.
For a receiver to win it, he must have a season that’s historic, if not record-setting. And he must have a quarterback who prompts more shrugs of indifference than shouts of amazement.
Enter Justin Jefferson. Already probably the most achieved receivers within the league despite playing for a defensive-minded head coach and two different offensive coordinators, latest coach Kevin O’Connell is implementing a Rams-style offense that can make Jefferson into Minnesota’s answer to Cooper Kupp.
Last yr, Jefferson had 108 catches and 1,616 receiving yards. This yr, he could explode in the brand new offense.
With Kirk Cousins throwing the passes, the votes could skew toward Jefferson. Cousins would wish to throw for greater than 5,400 passing yards and 50 touchdowns to get serious consideration for MVP, or the Vikings would must be the No. 1 seed within the NFC.
It’s more likely that Jefferson will go off statistically this yr, possibly enough that he potentially enters the conversation to be the primary ever receiver to be the Most Helpful Player within the NFL.
