Jaxon Smith-Njigba is now the clear WR1 for the Seattle Seahawks. That brings pressure as much on new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as it does JSN. In 2024, Smith-Njigba had a breakout season, but he was also being used in an offense that was focused on getting the ball to the wide receivers, and JSN had DK Metcalf to draw attention away.
But there is little doubt that for the foreseeable future, Smith-Njigba is going to be required to be extremely productive. The fear is that while he is quick and can get open, he might not have the same kind of explosiveness that Metcalf had.
He is more of an interior route-runner who creates havoc for linebackers and safeties while occasionally sneaking in an outside burst. This doesn't mean JSN isn't a great receiver because he is, but he is not the normal kind of receiver teams build around.
Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba has to be excited about Garrett Wilson's new contract
Garrett Wilson might be, though. The New York Jets receiver, and like JSN, a former Ohio State product, just received a huge extension for New York in hopes he is the guy for years into the future. The receiver's final year of his rookie deal could have been 2025, but New York extended him for four years and $130 million.
This is the kind of money that Smith-Njigba should expect, too. Wilson has had more consistently productive seasons than Smith-Njigba, as Wilson has reached at least 1,042 yards receiving in each of his three seasons, but none of those seasons was as good as JSN's 2024, the Seahawks receiver's second season.
The best year for Wilson was last year when he caught 101 passes for 1,104 yards and seven touchdowns. His catch rate was 65.6 percent.
In 2024, Smith-Njigba caught 100 passes for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns and caught 73 percent of his targets. Wilson had 154 targets last year, and Smith-Njigba had 137. If JSN had the same number of targets as Wilson, statistics back up that JSN will be more productive.
There is no way that Jaxon Smith-Njigba is not looking at what Garrett Wilson received (and like talking to Wilson as they were teammates for the Buckeyes) and not thinking he deserves the same or more. Luckily for the Seahawks, Smith-Njigba has another year to play before Seattle has to think of signing the receiver to an extension.
On the other hand, a year from now, receiver contracts could be even higher, as well as the salary cap. Instead of four years and $130 million, Smith-Njigba could be hoping for a higher number.