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ESPN's Fowler: Why JSN megadeal is worth it for Seahawks

After watching Jaxon Smith-Njigba author one of the most productive receiving seasons in NFL history, the Seattle Seahawks didn’t waste any time inking the star wideout to a long-term contact.

Where Seahawks’ salary cap space sits after JSN deal

Smith-Njigba and the Seahawks reportedly agreed to a four-year, $168.6 million extension on Monday that averages $42.15 million per year, which would make him the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history.

But from a roster-building standpoint, it essentially ends up being a six-year, $195.2 million deal, which equates to $32.5 million-per-year average. That’s because Smith-Njigba still has two more years left on his rookie contract after Seattle exercised his 2027 fifth-year option last Friday.

ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler highlighted that detail while giving his reaction to the news during a conversation with Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob on Tuesday.

“They’d already given him the fifth-year option, so they had two years of rookie-deal money to play with to kind of pro-rate the big money and spread out that cap hit,” Fowler said. “So it’s a win-win.

“This is a guy who is not only one of the best receivers in the NFL, but he’s a model locker-room guy, a good teammate. You don’t have to worry about him off the field. So he really checks every box.”

Rewarding blue-chip players

Fowler also pointed to importance of a team identifying and rewarding the players that it drafts and develops into blue-chip, franchise cornerstones.

“It’s a cost-analysis for every team,” Fowler said. “You want to reward the players that you draft highly and that you develop into star players. … And I know Seattle takes a lot of stock in players making the jump in years 2 and 3. What kind of player are they at that point? And Smith-Njigba epitomizes that perfectly.”

After being drafted out of Ohio State with the No. 20 overall pick in 2023, Smith-Njigba finished with 63 receptions for 628 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie. He then took a massive leap in 2024, recording 100 catches for 1,130 yards and six TDs to finish 12th in the NFL in receiving yardage.

Then, after Seattle traded star receiver DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers in March 2025, Smith-Njigba took over as the Seahawks’ undisputed No. 1 wideout and authored one of the most productive receiving seasons in NFL history. Smith-Njigba piled up 119 catches for a league-high 1,793 yards and 10 TDs this past fall, finishing with the eighth-most receiving yards in a single season in NFL history.

“Year 1, he was kind of getting his footing. Year 2, year 3, dominant. They gave him the keys, they challenged him to be the No. 1 this year and he did it, and he obviously was a catalyst to a Super Bowl win. So it made it an easy decision.

“And I think it’s something that Seattle prides itself on. This has really been a run of good draft picks that they’ve found. … And those are the kind of players, especially in the first round when you hit big, you want to reward.”

Tilting the field

Given the NFL’s salary cap constraints, there’s debate over whether paying top-of-the-market money to wide receivers is the best roster-construction practice.

But even with the skyrocketing price tags for star wideouts, Fowler thinks Smith-Njigba is worth that value for his ability to consistently draw a disproportionate amount of attention from opposing defenses.

“The wide receiver market has ballooned almost 300% in the last 10 years, … so it’s a big commitment at that position,” Fowler said. “(But) you can’t deny the importance when a guy like Smith-Njigba can draw a double team – sometimes maybe even a shade to a triple team. You’re tilting the math on the field.

“That’s worth a lot of money now, and Seattle wasn’t afraid to do that.”

Hear the full Wyman and Bob conversation with ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post. Catch Wyman and Bob from 2-7 p.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.