5 Seattle Seahawks with unrealistic expectations in 2024
By Lee Vowell
Jaxon Smith-Njigba - Seahawks wide receiver
JSN is becoming a fan favorite in Seattle and with good reason. He has a natural charisma, appears to be a team-first player, and is good at his job. He was underused by former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron at the beginning of last year and limited in his routes by Waldron's play-calling. Eventually, Smith-Njigba's role expanded and Waldron learned that JSN was pretty good down the field as well.
Smith-Njigba was a first-round pick in 2023, of course, and first-round draft picks are expected to develop into foundational pieces for their teams. Receivers have it a bit tougher than most positions, it seems, as it takes a bit longer to acclimate to the speed and power of NFL defensive backs. By year two, a receiver should be expected to be highly productive.
The problem in 2024 for JSN, and what might keep him from reaching maximum productivity, is that he still plays on a team that features DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. JSN almost certainly won't see as many targets as Metcalf, and he will be splitting targets with Lockett. Smith-Njigba might become one of the best receivers in the league one day, but that is unlikely to happen this season.
Christian Haynes - Seahawks right guard
Many 12s rightfully hope that Haynes will be a Week 1 starter in his rookie season and be a starter at that spot for the next 10 years. He has the size and tenacity to want to be great and to take on any defensive players who get in his way. It helps if offensive linemen have a bit of a mean streak and Haynes definitely has that.
Making a jump from being good in college to immediately good in the NFL is a tough transition, however. Sure, Haynes started 49 games in college, but that starting experience also does not confirm that Haynes will be a good pro. He might, but that isn't simply because he started a bunch of games at UConn.
In fact, no offense to UConn, but had Haynes started 49 games at Alabama, for instance, he might be even better prepared for the NFL than the ones he started at UConn. The competition wasn't consistently great for Haynes. Still, he should eventually be an upgrade at right guard but he might not show that straightaway.