As expected, the Seattle Seahawks have locked up Jaxon Smith-Njigba with a big-money contract extension. According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, he's set records as the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history and the most-guaranteed money for a wide receiver in NFL history.
The Seahawks gave JSN a four-year contract extension worth a whopping $168.6 million with $120 million guaranteed. It was a no-brainer move after watching him run away with Offensive Player of the Year honors and being instrumental in a Super Bowl-winning campaign.
However, even though there were never doubts about this impending move, the decision to extend him was about much more than what he can do on the field. It also gives whoever acquires the franchise a true cornerstone for years to come.
The Seattle Seahawks' new owners can rest assured that JSN will be there
It's not usual to see teams being on the market right after a championship. However, the formal sale process for the defending Super Bowl champions has officially begun, and the sale is expected to be completed at some point in the offseason, perhaps even before the start of the 2026 season.
Seahawks GM John Schneider has given whoever acquires the team one less thing to be worried about. The team has had a rather quiet offseason, but it was all about making sure there was enough money to extend Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon. Now, it should be just a matter of time before they also give their star cornerback a long-term contract.
Football teams have become much more than the most exclusive club in America. They're also a commodity, and while it's hard to believe the value will ever drop, having superstars like JSN can only ensure they stay competitive and, as such, also deliver a greater return on investment.
The Seahawks trusted the former Ohio State star to keep flourishing as a vertical weapon.
They cut ties with Tyler Lockett and traded DK Metcalf, and while that was a major gamble, Smith-Njigba responded by logging 119 receptions on 163 targets for 1,793 yards and ten touchdowns, dominating in the slot and out wide and becoming the most unstoppable aerial force in the game last season.
Smith-Jigba was a First-team All-Pro, a Pro-Bowler, led the league in receiving yards, was the Offensive Player of the Year, and won a Super Bowl in his first season as the primary focus of the offense.
Players are often seen as commodities, and while that approach is clearly dehumanizing, that's just the nature of this business. That's why locking him up for years to come may have just driven this team's value a little higher, even if it doesn't reflect on their current sale price.