Fake win-win trade: Justin Jefferson to the Cardinals | Zero Blitz
Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz is joined by NFL writer Frank Schwab to explain why trading the elite wide receiver to the Cardinals is a win for both teams. Hear the full conversation on the “Zero Blitz” podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.
Video Transcript
FRANK SCHWAB: Let's say you pick up the phone if you're the Vikings and you say, Justin Jefferson for the fourth pick. Let's go. Arizona, I'd probably say, sure, let's do that. Yeah, we'll have to pay Justin Jefferson, but we're not paying anybody else. We're fine.
Is Marvin Harrison going to be better than Justin Jefferson? That's a lot to ask, considering Justin Jefferson just set the record for the most receiving yards for any player his first four seasons. That would be fascinating to hear that conversation of just a challenge trade, JJ for number four. What do you do?
JASON FITZ: Justin Jefferson's 24.
FRANK SCHWAB: I know. It is amazing what he has done before his 25th birthday. He's an unbelievable player, just fantastic. And you know what, at the end of the day, the Vikings are going to pay him. Because who else are they paying? And you need something to market to your fans, right? You can't just do that. But yeah, it's interesting to see--
JASON FITZ: Would you-- I'd still want a first-round though.
FRANK SCHWAB: --if they balk at the price.
JASON FITZ: If I was the Arizona--
FRANK SCHWAB: No, you can't.
JASON FITZ: Look, Justin Jefferson's great.
FRANK SCHWAB: No way. That's way too much.
JASON FITZ: You can't give up Justin and a first to move up to four?
FRANK SCHWAB: You're not Justin Jefferson and a first just to get Marvin Harrison. No, that's way too much. Way too much. I don't care-- yes, you got to pay Justin Jefferson. I get it. The contract is part--
JASON FITZ: No, but you'd be getting a quarterback
FRANK SCHWAB: --of the deal.
JASON FITZ: You would be moving up to four, and you would be getting JJ McCarthy. So you're getting a quarterback.
FRANK SCHWAB: Oh, yeah. Yeah.
JASON FITZ: And that feels like too much. You're right. But also, why would I trade out of that pick when I could have Marvin Harrison much cheaper than Justin Jefferson is going to cost me? That contract for Justin Jefferson has to matter somewhere in this process. If I'm picking at four or five, I'm not just taking Justin Jefferson because I got to pay him. And I got to pay him a ton of money. I think-- I don't know, man. You're kind of talking me into it.
FRANK SCHWAB: Who else are the Cardinals paying? I know Kyler, obviously. But they're-- Budda Baker maybe? Yeah, I don't really-- I don't really think the Cardinals are paying anybody else. So if you had the shot at a Justin Jefferson, you don't turn that down. But you don't turn down Marvin Harrison either because he is going to be absolutely, positively a stud in the NFL. Both guys are unbelievable.
JASON FITZ: Sweet baby Jesus. Right now, they have $28 million in cap space today--
FRANK SCHWAB: There you go.
JASON FITZ: --the Cardinals do.
FRANK SCHWAB: We've figured out the Cardinals' issues right now. Let's go trade for JJ.
JASON FITZ: They have $28 million in cap space. And next year, they have $98 million in cap space. It's just the only problem is what's the wins above replacement for Justin Jefferson versus Marvin Harrison Jr. or Malik Nabers? I guess it's that you know. It's that you know exactly who you're getting, so you're taking away any of the variable in the draft.
