The Seattle Seahawks‘ quiet offseason is finally paying off. General manager John Schneider prioritized saving money to sign Jaxon Smith-Njigba to a huge contract extension, and he finally put pen to paper.
The reigning Offensive Player of the Year just signed a four-year, $168.6 million contract extension that includes $120 million guaranteed. Both marks are records for wide receivers, and he just pushed the bar higher with a $42.15 million annual average value.
That will have implications in his own division. According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the Los Angeles Rams are now officially on the clock to give Puka Nacua a big-time extension of his own:
“Jaxon Smith-Njigba's deal with the Seahawks is the latest jump in the WR market, one that will impact their division rival Rams, who could be working on a Puka Nacua extension this offseason,” Schefter shared on his X account. “Nacua is entering the final year of his deal in 2026 and now has a new bar to clear.”
Nacua has blossomed as one of the most explosive playmakers in all of football. He’s a YAC specialist, a willing blocker, and a versatile weapon who can line up all over the offense.
Sean McVay has always been vocal about his admiration for Nacua and how much it means to the offense. There’s no doubt that the Rams will do right by him, and he’ll now be looking at more than $170 million in his next contract extension.
The Rams have remained competitive, in part, thanks to their ability to find value in the later rounds of the NFL Draft. While JSN was always expected to be a star as a former first-round pick, Nacua burst onto the scene as a fifth-round selection.
Now, barring a surprising turn of events, he’s going to become the highest-paid pass catcher in the history of the league, even for an instant.
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