The NFL thinks there's a problem with the Seattle Seahawks. Many voices inside the NFL and on several sports talk shows believe the Seahawks are not the favorites to win the NFC West or make it back to the Super Bowl. Those rights have shifted over to their division rivals, the Los Angeles Rams.Â
That said, despite the Rams' elite upgrades on defense this offseason to help an already elite NFL team, the Seahawks still boast a complete team, or as close to that as any other team can get. The Seahawks have few weaknesses, nor do they have any glaring weak links.
In fact, apart from the major departure of Kenneth Walker III and another couple of minor free agency losses, Seattle is returning virtually the same team that won it all last season. Yet, they are being doubted. That doubt was further fueled by NFL.com's latest perspective on what they view as a concerning problem within a specific position group. Are they right? Or underestimating?
NFL writer isn't convinced the Seattle Seahawks' wide receiver room is enough
Before getting to what NFL.com writer Matt Okada said about the current state of the Seahawks wide receiver group, remember that last season Seattle entered Week 1 with major uncertainties.
They did not know how great Jaxon Smith-Njigba would be so soon, how valuable an older, recently injury-prone Cooper Kupp would be despite a decrease in production, and how significant Rashid Shaheed would be after a midseason trade at wideout.
In the end, everything worked out. Smith-Njigba was electric, Kupp was clutch in the playoffs, and Shaheed, while barely used on offense, was on fire on special teams and also clutch in the playoffs. Sure, the Seahawks would have liked to have seen more production out of Kupp, but his value was still largely in the picture, and lo and behold, the Seahawks won the Super Bowl.Â
What Okada is saying is that what the Seahawks have at wide receiver isn't enough. According to the NFL writer, the comfort people have with Seattle's wideouts has more to do with the names rather than their production, especially concerning Kupp and Shaheed.
"Too many people see the name Cooper Kupp and the $51 million attached to Rashid Shaheed’s contract and are convinced Seattle is set behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba. I am not," Okada wrote. "The aging Kupp averaged 2.6 catches and 28.3 yards per game over the second half of 2025, with one touchdown. Shaheed topped 30 yards just three times in 12 games with the Seahawks (including playoffs) and never found the end zone as a receiver with Seattle. Meanwhile, JSN handled 36.6 percent of the team’s receptions last year, the highest share by any player in the last decade, per TruMedia. One man can carry an entire offense for only so long."
Okada is right about one thing: Smith-Njigba can only carry the Seahawks offense for so long. What Okada may be missing, though, is that unlike last year, Kupp is coming off a virtually injury-free season (he hadn't played more than 12 games in a season since 2021), and he is fully healthy going into the 2026 season.
Shaheed, while only gathering 188 receiving yards in nine games for Seattle after the trade, will enter the new season with a full offseason under his belt. Seattle is also expected to utilize Shaheed significantly in the offense, not just as a kick returner.Â
As for Smith Njighba, well, he'll likely rack up around 1,500 yards, if not more. As the No. 1 target, it makes sense he would receive the bulk of the touches from Sam Darnold. Smith-Njigba is the primary target, but a healthy Kupp and a more integrated Shaheed, not to mention Jadarian Price likely catching some balls as well, mean the Seahawks are set at wide receiver for next season, at least.Â
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