The Seattle Seahawks have one of the NFL’s most productive receivers in Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
That hasn’t stopped calls for Seattle to give him the football even more.
But Seahawks senior reporter John Boyle believes there’s a limit to how much the offense should depend on its star.
In a November 10 team mailbag, Boyle addressed a fan’s question about why Seattle hasn’t been forcing more passes toward Smith-Njigba.
His response pointed to the receiver’s heavy workload.
Smith-Njigba has drawn 99 targets through nine games, the second-highest total in the league. That figure stands out because Seattle ranks only 20th in total pass attempts.
Boyle explained that repeatedly throwing into heavy coverage could expose the Seahawks to turnovers.
There’s also the need to keep their best offensive player healthy since Smith-Njigba is the main feature of Seattle’s passing attack.
But how much more the team can reasonably ask of him?
Seahawks Reporter Raises Concern About Smith-Njigba’s Usage
Smith-Njigba has 71 receptions for 1,036 yards and nine touchdowns through nine games.
He leads the NFL in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
His production has been remarkably consistent despite injuries and changes at quarterback.
Against the Arizona Cardinals on November 8, Smith-Njigba caught seven passes for 51 yards in Seattle’s 17-3 victory.
That followed a six-catch, 118-yard performance against Chicago.
Boyle acknowledged Smith-Njigba’s importance while questioning the wisdom of making him an even larger part of the offense.
He pointed to the risk of turnovers against extra coverage and the physical demands of a 17-game season.
The worry is especially relevant after Smith-Njigba accounted for more than half of Seattle’s receiving yards through Week 8, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
Opposing defenses know where the ball is going, so that makes finding other reliable targets increasingly necessary.
Seahawks Supporting Their Star WR?
Seattle has spent much of the season searching for consistent production beyond Smith-Njigba.
Veteran Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed give the Seahawks experienced counterparts, but Shaheed has battled a knee injury.
Rookie running back Jadarian Price also provided a lift against Arizona, catching four passes for 54 yards.
Quarterback Drew Lock is expected to start again Sunday against Las Vegas while Sam Darnold continues recovering from quadriceps and rib injuries, creating another challenge for the passing game.
Smith-Njigba is the most reliable option, regardless of who plays quarterback.
But Seattle can’t count on one receiver to solve every offensive problem.
The Seahawks made no additional trades Tuesday, leaving their current group to carry the offense into the second half of the season.
The stats show how much Seattle trusts Smith-Njigba.
The following move is making sure the rest of the offense can help.
Seahawks Issue Expectations on More Jaxon Smith-Njigba Usage