Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Everything you need to know

Smith-Njigba agreed to terms Monday on a four-year, $168.6 million contract extension with the Seahawks, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. The reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Smith-Njigba had his fifth-year option picked up by Seattle in March, but the intent had always been to negotiate a long-term deal for the two-time Pro Bowler. Now, he becomes the highest-paid wideout in league history at an average of $42.15 million annually, including $120 million guaranteed. Smith-Njigba is coming off a career-best 2025 campaign in which he secured 119 of 163 targets for a league-leading 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns across 17 regular-season appearances, plus 17 catches (on 26 targets) for 199 yards and two touchdowns across three playoff contents, including a Super Bowl LX win over New England. The chemistry Smith-Njigba has demonstrated with quarterback Sam Darnold makes him a safe bet to return on expectations as one of the top wide receivers taken in 2026 fantasy drafts, especially in PPR formats.

The Seahawks exercised Smith-Njigba's fifth-year option for 2027 on Friday. An obvious no-brainer for Seattle after Smith-Njigba was named Offensive Player of the Year in 2025 after securing 119 of 163 targets for an NFL-high 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns across 17 regular-season appearances. JSN then added another 17 catches for 199 yards and two touchdowns on 26 targets across three playoff contests. Through three seasons, Smith-Njigba is a two-time Pro Bowl selection and was a first-team All-Pro last season. With the optioned picked up, Smith-Njigba is set to earn $23.8 million in 2027.

Smith-Njigba brought in four of 10 targets for 27 yards during the Seahawks' 29-13 win over the Patriots in Super Bowl LX on Sunday. The star receiver couldn't put together anything resembling the typical caliber of performance that earned him the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award earlier in the week, as Christian Gonzalez's blanket coverage served to frequently short-circuit the often prolific Sam Darnold-Smith-Njigba connection. Smith-Njigba also exited the game for a spell in the second half to be evaluated for a concussion, but he was able to return shortly thereafter. Smith-Njigba did have a couple of particularly close calls that could have made his night much different, as Gonzalez made an excellent diving breakup of a would-be touchdown pass to the talented wideout and Darnold also missed him running free deep late in the first quarter. Despite the quiet finish to the Super Bowl run, Smith-Njigba will head into the 2026 season as an upper-echelon fantasy asset that will be snapped up in the very early stages of the first round of drafts next summer.