The Seattle Seahawks and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba agreed to a four-year, $168.6 million contract extension on Monday, making the 24-year-old the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history.
The deal averages $42.15 million per year and includes more than $120 million in guaranteed money. Both figures set new records at the position, surpassing any contract a receiver has signed before.
Smith-Njigba, a 2023 first-round pick out of Ohio State, is coming off a 2025 season that ended with a Super Bowl ring, the AP Offensive Player of the Year, and first-team All-Pro honors.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the news Monday morning. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport later confirmed the deal details, citing the receiver’s agent.
How a Dominant 2025 Season Made Smith-Njigba Impossible to Ignore
Feb 5, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) talks to media members at the San Jose Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Feb 5, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) talks to media members at the San Jose Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
With wide receiver DK Metcalf gone after a trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle handed Smith-Njigba full responsibility in 2025. He responded with 119 catches, a league-leading 1,793 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns.
He averaged 15.1 yards per reception, a career high, and led the league with 14.5 scrimmage yards per touch. Sustaining that pace across 119 catches is not something most receivers manage.
Pro Football Focus graded him as the second-best wide receiver in football for the 2025 season. When targeted, quarterbacks posted a 120.8 passer rating. Defenses did not find a clean answer all year.
ESPN Sources: Offensive Player of the Year and Super-Bowl champion Jaxon Smith-Njigba reached agreement with the Seattle Seahawks on a four-year, $168.6 million contract extension that now makes him the highest-paid WR in NFL history.
The deal averages $42.15 million per year,… pic.twitter.com/WFBtZqE4L2
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 23, 2026
Smith-Njigba totaled 17 catches, 199 yards, and two touchdowns in the postseason. His 153-yard NFC Championship showing against the Rams sealed the Offensive Player of the Year argument for good.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport also confirmed Seattle had exercised Smith-Njigba’s fifth-year option, worth roughly $23.85 million for 2027, just days before the extension was finalized.
What JSN’s Contract Means for George Pickens, Puka Nacua, and the WR Market
Seattle Seahawks, Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) is interviewed after defeating the Los Angeles Rams in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
Ja’Marr Chase had set the previous standard. The Cincinnati Bengals star signed a four-year, $161 million extension last offseason at $40.25 million annually. Smith-Njigba clears that figure by nearly $2 million per year.
The new deal also tops what Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson had secured in guaranteed money at signing, setting yet another benchmark at the position.
The Los Angeles Rams are feeling the pressure most. Receiver Puka Nacua enters the final year of his rookie deal in 2026. Through three seasons, Nacua averages 121 receptions and 1,619 receiving yards per year.
The Dallas Cowboys tagged wide receiver George Pickens this offseason at $27.29 million. Pickens, 25, posted 93 catches for 1,429 yards in his first Dallas season, finishing third in the NFL in receiving yards.
Atlanta Falcons receiver Drake London, 24, also enters a lame-duck option year in 2026 with the production and draft pedigree to demand top-market money.
Nacua, Pickens, and London all represent an inevitable next wave that will push the wide receiver market even higher. Smith-Njigba’s record may not stand for long.
The next priority for Seattle is cornerback Devon Witherspoon. The 25-year-old was PFF’s top-graded corner in 2025, allowing just 409 receiving yards on 59 targets all season.