EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings urged Justin Jefferson to fully participate in their offseason program, a commitment some established NFL stars aren't willing to make each spring.

The sixth-year wide receiver was already a step ahead of the coaching staff. This is a critical offseason for Jefferson and the Vikings, breaking in a new quarterback in J.J. McCarthy, so he was planning to make his attendance a priority.

“It’s definitely important to gain a little bit of a sight of what the new year is coming to look like, to build that connection with my teammates and especially with my quarterback,” Jefferson said after practice on Monday. “It’s definitely great to be out here early to kind of get into the feel.”

These late spring practices, known in league parlance as organized team

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