Justin Jefferson Weighs In on 49ers Defense and Its Approach to Star Wide Receivers

Understanding the Matchup: 49ers – Vikings

Justin Jefferson was still injured last season when his Vikings snuck away with an upset victory against the 49ers. He was likewise uninvolved in San Francisco's Monday night victory over the Jets, having already contributed 59 receiving yards and a touchdown in Minnesota's 28-6 Week 1 blowout of the New York Giants the day before. While he acknowledged both Niners games offer film to study, there’s no proper representation of the kind of attention he might require from San Francisco's defense in Week 2.

Jefferson's Perspective on Preparation

“Yeah and no,” Jefferson said Thursday when asked if watching how San Francisco defended the Jets’ No. 1 wide receiver in prime time helps him prepare. “I mean, respectfully, I’m not Garrett Wilson. Teams play me totally different. There’s things that I can take from that game for sure. Things that I can take from last year, how they played us last year. But I’ve seen it, teams play me totally different when I’m on the field versus when I’m not out there on the field.”

Wilson's Recent Struggles

To his credit, he did say “respectfully.” Wilson is an ascendant talent in his third NFL season, bogged down previously by poor quarterback play in New York but ready to take a leap now catching passes from Aaron Rodgers. He briefly appeared primed to take over Monday when he put up 46 yards on four receptions during the Jets’ first scoring drive of the game, but he was promptly neutralized after that and added just two catches for 14 more yards the rest of the way.

Expectations vs Reality

The stifled outing wasn’t what Wilson was aiming for to kick off his season, as the 2022 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year has two consecutive 1,000-yard seasons under his belt but has yet to make the playoffs, a Pro Bowl or All-Pro Team. Jefferson has three Pro Bowl campaigns, and in the same year Wilson took home his prestigious rookie honor made first-team All-Pro and won Offensive Player of the Year thanks in part to leading the NFL with 128 receptions and 1,809 yards.

Tactical Adjustments

The 49ers afforded plenty of respect to the younger Wilson, of course, offering help coverage when needed. He played 10 snaps against man and double that against zone. Wilson was pressed on nearly half his routes (14), collecting just one catch in those instances compared to five receptions on the 10 snaps in which San Francisco played off (five-plus yards away), per Next Gen Stats. Jefferson might glean a few answers from the tape, but as he said, he fully expects different challenges to work through against San Francisco’s altered game plan for him, something that will be even more harped on with Minnesota’s WR2, Jordan Addison, out due to an ankle injury.

Looking Ahead

Regardless, Jefferson is excited for the challenge. “Yeah, especially with a team like this that mixes in a little man here and there,” he said when asked if he likes the puzzle of not knowing how a defense might play him. “I love man-to-man coverage. That’s something that I feed off of. But I’m also looking for the double team, the safety help over top, and we have plays for that.”