This Seahawks duo could leave rival star duos in the dust next season

One of the greatest surprises in the NFL last season was Jaxon Smith-Njigba's emergence as a top wide receiver, taking the spot left by former Seattle Seahawks wideout DK Metcalf. It wasn't necessarily that Metcalf was underperforming in Seattle (his numbers were elite), but rather the impact-related factors that led to his trade. 

The Seahawks clearly had the right amount of faith and trust in who was behind Metcalf, and Smith-Njigba ran with it, never looking back.

Of course, last season's league leader in receiving yards had someone throw him the football, and that was Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold. Over the course of one season, the Darnold-JSN duo rose to the top of the league, and they might stay up there for a while.

Seattle Seahawks Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba could be the NFL's most prolific duo next season

With a second season ahead for the Seahawks quarterback and wide receiver duo, the question has to be asked: Are they the best in that category? If they're not, by the end of next season, could they be? There are a few other duos who want that same honor, but Darnold and Smith-Njigba have just as much chance as they do. 

Darnold and Smith-Njigba have a handful of quarterback-wide receiver tandems to contend with across the league, but their most close-to-home tandem is Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua in the NFC West. It gets even better for the Los Angeles Rams when Davante Adams is their No. 2 option.

In terms of lifespan, the duo of Stafford and Nacua may last just one more season, as Stafford could retire after the 2026-27 season. That opens the door for Darnold and Smith-Njigba in the long term. For now, however, for next season, even with the Rams in play, the door is open for Darnold and Smith-Njigba to be the NFL's most prolific tandem. 

Last season, Smith-Njigba led the league with 1,793 yards, while Darnold was one of just six quarterbacks to surpass 4,000 yards. Not only did the two win the Super Bowl, but Smith-Njigba also won another award: the AP Offensive Player of the Year. 

Last season, Stafford and Nacua were the most prolific and most dangerous duos, and it should come as a surprise if they are again next season. That said, it shouldn't be a surprise if Darnold and Smith-Njigba are, either.

Having seen what we saw from them last season, with another full offseason of work under their belts, and the fact that the Seahawks' running game might be a work in progress, the Darnold to Smith-Njigba connection could be even more prevalent. 

That would, of course, mean an uptick in both players' numbers, which would increase offensive production. It might be hard to secure 14 wins again, or more, but statistically speaking, Darnold and Smith-Njigba could be absolutely terrifying next season. 

The only factors that could upend this scenario are if Darnold takes too many steps back rather than being even better than he was last season. Much of his success with Smith-Njigba falls on his shoulders, and that means cutting down the turnovers and playing with as much efficiency as he possibly can. 

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