Seahawks are taking full advantage of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but the time to reward him in a massive way is coming fast
The Seattle Seahawks have an easy decision on their hands when it comes to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and he will be eligible for a contract extension soon.
The Seattle Seahawks have a superstar on their hands in wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He has risen to be one of the very best at his position across the league, and his performance on Sunday was further proof, shattering records left and right in the win.
Smith-Njigba became the first NFL receiver to record at least 75 yards in each of the first 11 games to start the season. What’s more, he now holds the Seattle record for the most receiving yards registered by a receiver in a single season, accomplishing the feat in only 11 games.
The talented pass-catcher surpassed former Seahawks star DK Metcalf, who had 1,303 receiving yards. With plenty of games left in the tank, Smith-Njigba is poised to shatter the record and make it difficult for any receiver in the future to match his totals.
Jaxon-Smith Njigba is due for a massive payday
Smith-Njigba is currently in the third year of his four-year contract, making his play that much more special when you look at it in terms of cap space used to get that type of production. He’s playing like one of the best at his position, if not the best, and his total cap hit for 2025 was a staggering $3.9 million.
That number jumps slightly in the 2026 season, with his cap hit being a little over $4.5 million with a $2.7 million base signing and a $1.8 million proration signing. He’s taking up less than 1.5 percent of the total cap percentage league-wide, which should drastically change as soon as after this season.
While the team has 2026 to work with, the last thing they would want is another dominant year from the receiver and to potentially have to shell out even more cash. The number one priority this offseason should be to sit down with Smith-Njigba and his agent and carve out a deal that keeps him in Seattle for the long term.
In terms of total guaranteed money, via Spotrac, Smith-Njigba is outside the top 40 receivers in the NFL. Making less than Bills’ Curtis Samuel or Josh Palmer, or even Cleveland wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. When it’s all said and done, Smith-Njigba may very well reset the wide receiver market with his upcoming payday.
In March of 2025, the Bengals signed their star receiver Ja’Marr Chase to a four-year $161 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history at the team, with an average salary of $40 million a season. This could be a good comparison to the type of deal Njigba could warrant in the market, especially considering his recent dominance with the Seahawks.
Regardless of whether it’s a contract like Chase, or maybe a bit less, one thing is for certain: Jaxon Smith-Njigba has earned his payday.
At the end of the day, Seattle has a rare but excellent problem: a superstar producing like an All-Pro all while on a rookie deal. The clock has officially begun ticking for the front office, and the price tag should only get higher with each passing dominant performance. If the Seahawks want their offense built around a No. 1 wideout for years to come, locking in Njigba sooner rather than later feels like the only logical decision.
Fifth-year option decision or extension
After his third NFL season, the Seahawks will have two options with JSN. The first is just to exercise his fifth-year option. Because the receiver is a former first-round pick, Seattle can exercise the option unilaterally and keep him under contract through 2027.
Right now, Over the Cap projects his option to be around $17.5 million, based on playing time. Since Smith-Njigba will likely make the Pro Bowl, that salary would jump to $24.3 million in 2027. JSN made the Pro Bowl last year, but it doesn’t count towards the fifth-year option because it wasn’t on the original ballot.
The second alternative for Seattle is not only exercising the fifth-year option, but also finding a long-term contract extension. Right now, Spotrac projects his market value to be at a three-year, $111.75 million contract ($37.3 million a year). For the Seahawks, it would be even better to get a longer deal, even if it means a higher yearly average. By doing that, Seattle would have more flexibility to lower his initial cap hit and, especially, more control to negotiate future extensions.
The Seahawks found a great one. Now, it’s time to take care of him.
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