There’s a harsh truth facing Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Seahawks’ roster that can derail the passing attack if tragedy strikes
JSN is as good as it gets when it comes to the receiver position, but the Seahawks really need someone to step up behind him.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the heart and soul of the Seattle Seahawks’ passing attack and he’s needed more than ever after Kenneth Walker III left during free agency.
But, what if he goes down for an extended period of time? This is football, as we all know, and injuries are bound to happen at some point. Sure, JSN is young and in his prime, which means he’s less susceptible. Still, everyone is aware that good depth is crucial when it comes to winning games at a consistent rate.
The Seahawks have options, but only one really stands out in Rashid Shaheed and even there are questions with him. Before we get to him, though, Cooper Kupp is important to discuss, first.
Kupp is a WR3 at best at this point in his career and can’t be expected to carry a passing attack or even consistently produce at a high rate. It’s nothing against him, it’s just clear injuries and the natural decline that comes with age have affected his game.
Kupp is coming off a 2025 season that featured his lowest production in both receptions and yards since 2018. He also finished with just two receiving touchdowns, the lowest total of his career, and his 1.49 yards per route run is not only subpar for any receiver, but also represents the worst mark of his career.
The former Super Bowl MVP is more of a possession, chain-moving receiver at this point in his career and that’s fine. But he’s not a player who can take over if JSN goes down. The same goes for guys like Tory Horton and Emmanuel Henderson – they have potential, but can’t be relied upon in a WR1 fashion.
Rashid Shaheed is the guy the Seahawks need to step up the most
Now, I don’t necessarily think Shaheed is a guy who can take over a game, either, but that’s what makes JSN so special. Not everyone can do what he does.
And just to be straight: This isn’t an exercise where we find the next JSN. It’s merely to point out the player who can step up and become the Seahawks’ WR1 if the 2025 Offensive Player of the Year were to miss time.
Fortunately, the Seahawks have big plans for Shaheed and are intent upon utilizing him a lot more in the passing game with Brian Fleury now in charge. According to reports, he’s had a big Spring in response, which is obviously good to hear.
“Rashid Shaheed, we know he’s fast, he had a major spring, I was told,” ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler recently said on NFL Live. “He and Sam Darnold [were] hitting it off. They’re going to give him more. Some of those routes you saw that Jaxon Smith-Njigba was running so well last year, he’ll still do this, but they’re going to give more short-to-intermediate stuff to Rashid Shaheed. He’s going to be a big time player for them.”
Shaheed was basically a non-factor in the passing game last year and that was a bit of a surprise considering his familiarity with Klint Kubiak’s offense. He had two good performances in Weeks 14 and 15, where he racked up nine catches for 141 yards on 12 targets, but he barely did anything outside of those games.
Just put is this way: In the other seven contests, Shaheed racked up a grand total of six catches for 47 yards on 14 targets.
Yes, a lot of that was figuring out how to use him and what his actual role would be, but that’s still awful production, even when including Weeks 14 and 15. The Seahawks’ passing attack will be in trouble if Shaheed is stringing together those kinds of numbers in 2026.
He’s shown he can be a big-time playmaker and one only has to go as far as the NFC Championship, where he ripped off the 51-yarder on the Seahawks’ first drive of the game that helped them go up 7-0 on the Los Angeles Rams. That’s what Darnold and Co. need from him, and on a consistent basis, this year.
If the Seahawks get that guy, then they should be able to make defenses pay through the air. But if they don’t and JSN goes down at any point in the year, well, it’s going to be tough sledding unless Fleury turns out to be the next Ben Johnson or something akin to that.