Photo Credit: USA Today Sports
Fresh off a Super Bowl LX title, Jaxon Smith-Njigba has his sights set on another accolade: becoming the NFL’s highest-paid wide receiver.
“I believe I deserve to be the highest paid in my position,” Smith-Njigba told WFAA. “What I give to the game and the community, I give it my all. I think that’s worth a lot more.”
The 24-year-old added that he is not rushing negotiations, emphasizing patience while acknowledging the business side of the league.
A Historic 2025 Campaign
Smith-Njigba’s case begins with production. He led the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards on 119 receptions, scored 10 touchdowns, earned AP Offensive Player of the Year honors and secured his second consecutive Pro Bowl nod. In the postseason, he added 199 receiving yards and two touchdowns across three games, helping the Seattle Seahawks capture their second Lombardi Trophy.
Remarkably, that output came in an offense that leaned heavily on the run game, making his yardage total even more striking.
Resetting the Receiver Market
If Smith-Njigba aims to top the market, the benchmark is steep. Ja’Marr Chase currently holds the highest average annual value among wideouts at $40.25 million per year on a four-year, $161 million extension with the Cincinnati Bengals. Justin Jefferson follows at $35 million annually with the Minnesota Vikings.
To surpass Chase, Smith-Njigba would need a deal exceeding $40 million per season in new-money average.
Seattle can exercise a fifth-year option on his rookie contract by May 1, and he remains under team control through at least 2026. Still, after a franchise-record season and a championship run, his leverage has never been stronger.
For now, Smith-Njigba insists timing is everything. But when negotiations begin in earnest, the Seahawks will face a familiar modern NFL question: how much is a game-changing receiver — and reigning Offensive Player of the Year — truly worth?
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