The Seattle Seahawks opened the wallet for wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, agreeing to a four-year, $168.6 million deal, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday.
The deal includes $120 million guaranteed and will make him the highest-paid wide receiver ($42.15 million) in the NFL. Smith-Njigba passed Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who makes $40.25 million a season.
Smith-Njigba delivers steady, elite production. But the question remains: Do the Seahawks have enough behind him?
Patriots shut down Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Super Bowl
The Patriots provided a possible blueprint in the Super Bowl for defending against Seattle, holding Smith-Njigba to four catches for 27 yards. Seattle still won, thanks in large part to Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, who rushed for 135 yards — but he’s now gone after signing with Kansas City in free agency.
That absence puts more pressure on Seattle’s receiving corps. Cooper Kupp underwhelmed as a WR2 in 2025, finishing with 593 yards.
Rashid Shaheed, acquired from New Orleans before the trade deadline, brings speed and big-play ability (11.3 yards per catch in 2025). But his greatest impact may still come on special teams, where he returned both a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns last season.
Smith-Njigba did his part, leading the league with 1,793 receiving yards and adding 10 touchdowns in 17 games.
But if defenses follow New England’s blueprint, Seattle will need more from its supporting cast.
The Seahawks have invested heavily, also locking up left tackle Charles Cross (four years, $104.4 million) and signing Shaheed to a three-year, $51 million deal.
Now comes the harder part: proving they have enough around their star receiver to justify it.