Record WR deal lands
Jaxon Smith‑Njigba agreed to a four‑year, $168.8 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks, making him the highest‑paid wide receiver in NFL history on the new deal (sports.yahoo.com). The blockbuster sets a new market benchmark as teams continue to reshape rosters in free agency (sports.yahoo.com).
The extension carries roughly $120 million in guaranteed money and an average annual value near $42.15 million, figures reported as new highs for a wide receiver contract. ( ). (espn.com) Seattle exercised Smith‑Njigba’s fifth‑year rookie option on March 20, 2026, a move that set a fully guaranteed 2027 salary projected at about $23.852 million before the extension was completed. ( ). (seahawks.com) Smith‑Njigba’s new average supplants Ja’Marr Chase’s four‑year, $161 million extension that carried a $40.25 million per‑year average, effectively resetting the wide‑receiver market. ( ). (nfl.com) The four‑year deal ties Smith‑Njigba to Seattle through the 2031 season, keeping the 2025 Offensive Player of the Year under club control for the long term. (sportingnews.com). (sportingnews.com) Spotrac’s cap breakdown shows a relatively modest 2026 cap hit of $10,371,329 on the deal while projecting about $36.5 million in cash paid to Smith‑Njigba next year. (spotrac.com). (spotrac.com) Smith‑Njigba earned the 2025 AP Offensive Player of the Year after leading the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards on 119 catches in the regular season and adding 17 catches for 199 yards in three playoff games. ( ). (seahawks.com)
