Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba agreed to a four-year, $168.6 million contract extension on Monday, making him the highest-paid receiver in NFL history at $42.15 million per year with over $120 million guaranteed.
The 24-year-old Smith-Njigba earned the deal after a dominant 2025 season that propelled Seattle to its second Super Bowl title. Drafted 20th overall out of Ohio State in 2023, he became a full-time starter in 2024 with his first Pro Bowl nod. His breakout truly arrived last year, when he led the league with 119 receptions for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns while catching passes from quarterback Sam Darnold. Those numbers set a Seahawks franchise record for receiving yards and earned him unanimous first-team All-Pro honors plus AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
In the playoffs, Smith-Njigba added 17 catches for 199 yards and two scores over three games, including four receptions for 27 yards in Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots. The victory marked Seattle’s first Lombardi Trophy since 2013 and cemented his status as the team’s top playmaker. The Seahawks had picked up his fifth-year rookie option just last week, signaling their intent to lock him in long-term.
This extension bucks Seattle’s typical approach of delaying big deals until later in the offseason, as seen with past pacts for players like DK Metcalf and Julian Love. It also bends their rule against guaranteeing money beyond the first year, with $23.85 million already fully guaranteed for 2027 from the option. The structure includes a $35 million signing bonus and $36.5 million due in 2026, easing cap hits early while committing through 2031.
The move secures a core piece around young stars like Darnold and cornerback Devon Witherspoon, following recent extensions for left tackle Charles Cross and others. It keeps Seattle’s Super Bowl window open without the contract drama that plagued past negotiations, such as with safety Jamal Adams.
Across the NFC West, the deal raises the bar for Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua, who also exploded in 2025 with league-leading receptions and 107.2 yards per game. Nacua posted 332 playoff yards and two touchdowns, including 165 in the NFC Championship loss to Seattle. As his contract nears its 2026 end, teams may now reference Smith-Njigba’s benchmark in future talks, reshaping the wide receiver market.
THIS IS INSANE…#Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba makes more than the highest paid RB Christian McCaffrey and TE George Kittle combined every year.
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) March 23, 2026
Smith-Njigba: $42.15 million per year
Saquon and Kittle: $39.7 million total per year
JSN is only 24 years old 🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/8jJ6Hrr9Gf
