Seahawks Star Jaxon Smith-Njigba: ‘I Deserve to be Highest-Paid Wide Receiver’

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba just led the NFL in receiving yards, and now he wants to be paid like that. “I’m really not too pressed right now to get it done. I know my time is coming and when we get it done, it’s going to be a great deal. God’s timing is perfect timing, so whenever that may come, we’ll be ready for it. I believe I deserve to be the highest-paid at my position, just what I give to the game and the community. I give it my all,” Smith-Njigba, who’s now extension-eligible, said when asked about potentially signing a contract extension with the Seahawks in an interview with WFAA. “And I think that’s worth a lot, lot more. I would play this game for free. I love this game so much, but you don’t have to. I’m learning to be a good businessman, and we need that check at the end of the day.” Last season, Smith-Njigba totaled 119 receptions for an NFL-high 1,793 yards (15.1 yards per reception) and 10 touchdowns, helping him win the 2025 Offensive Player of the Year Award. Meanwhile, he racked up 100-plus receiving yards in nine regular-season games and 10 games altogether (regular season plus postseason). Across Seattle’s three postseason games, Smith-Njigba totaled 17 receptions for 199 yards — 153 of those yards coming against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game — and two touchdowns en route to the Seahawks beating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX. In 2024, Smith-Njigba reeled in 100 receptions for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns, with him earning Pro Bowl nods in each of the last two seasons (2024-25). Seattle selected Smith-Njigba with the No. 20 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, with whom he led the Big Ten in receptions (95) and receiving yards (1,606) in 2021. Regarding a potential extension for Smith-Njigba, Ja’Marr Chase has the highest average annual value and total money in a contract for an NFL wide receiver (four-year, $161 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals, $40.25M AAV); Justin Jefferson (four-year, $140 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings, $35M AAV) is second, followed by CeeDee Lamb in third (four-year, $136 million deal with the Dallas Cowboys, $34M AAV).