Seahawks star makes $40.3 million contract demand that should have the Rams paying close attention

Jaxon Smith-Njigba picked the perfect time to have the best season of his career. The NFL's reigning Offensive Player of the Year led the league in receiving yards in 2025 during a career season that saw him go off for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdown catches. 

The timing couldn't have been better for the Seahawks star, who just finished his third NFL season, which means he's now eligible to get a contract extension for the first time. Smith-Njigba, who was selected with the 23rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has developed into one of the top receivers in the NFL and he definitely wants to be paid like one of the top receivers. 

During a recent interview with Jonah Javad of WFAA, the 24-year-old was asked if wants to be the highest paid receiver in the NFL and he didn't hesitate with his answer. 

"I think, I believe I deserve to be the highest paid in my position, just what I give to the game and the community, I give it my all," JSN said. "I think that's worth a lot."

Smith-Njigba made just $1.55 million in base salary last season during the third year of his rookie deal and he's only scheduled to make $2.72 million in 2026 (He signed a four-year, $14.42 million rookie deal that included a $7.49 million signing bonus), so he's certainly underpaid. 

After his huge 2025 season, he's clearly looking for a raise. 

So what does that mean for the Seahawks? Glad you asked. Let's check out the receiver market. 

Highest-paid receivers in the NFL

The NFL's highest-paid receiver right now is Ja'Marr Chase, who signed a four-year, $161 million contract extension back in March. Chase's deal pays him an average of $40.25 million per year, so if Smith-Njigba is looking to top that number, that means he's aiming to get $40.3 million per year at the minimum.

The second-highest paid receiver in the NFL is Minnesota's Justin Jefferson, who's pulling in an average of $35 million per year. There's a huge gap between Chase and Jefferson and it's possible the Seahawks could try to fit Smith-Njigba's new contract number somewhere in there, but with JSN saying "I deserve to be the highest paid," there may not be a lot of wiggle room. This could be a situation where the Seahawks either agree to pay him what he's asking for or things could get contentious. The Seahawks will also likely need to include more than $110 million in guaranteed money to top both Chase and Jefferson in that department. 

The Seahawks do have Smith-Njigba under contract for one more year (2026), plus a potential fifth-year option in 2027 on top of that, so they could conceivably kick the can until next offseason. Yes, JSN wants to get paid, but he doesn't seem to be in a hurry. 

"I'm really not too pressed right now to get it done," Smith-Njigba said. "I know my time is coming and when we get it done it's gonna be a great deal. And, you know, God's timing is perfect timing. So, whenever that may come, we'll be ready for it."

Basically, a deal could certainly get done this season, but there's also a chance that it would take until next offseason. One big reason why Smith-Njigba might be willing to wait is because the receiver market could be going up in the next few months, which takes us to our next topic. 

Why the Rams should be paying close attention

As things currently stand, there are only really two players who have any shot of resetting the receiving market over the next 12 months. One of them is Smith-Njigba and the other one is Puka Nacua. 

The Rams receiver has been one of the biggest bargains in NFL history over the past three years. During the 2025 season, he made just $1.03 million in base salary under the terms of his rookie contract and that will go up to just $5.66 million in 2026. Although JSN's rookie contract could technically keep him tied to Seattle until 2027, the Rams are in a more pressing situation with Nacua. Since he was taken in the fifth-round, there's no fifth-year option with his contract. His deal expires after the 2026 season, so the Rams need to get something done now (or they could face a situation where they're forced to hit him with the franchise tag next year). 

Nacua led the NFL in yards per game (107.2) and receptions in 2025 (129). He's also averaged 104.3 catches per year during his three NFL seasons. Rams general manager Les Snead is well aware that his team is going to have to pay Nacua a boatload of money in the very near future.  

"If you're one of the best at what you do and obviously he's evolved into one of the best things, that's a pretty simple contract because it's pretty self-explanatory where you fall in the ecosystem and the hierarchy," Snead said in early February. 

The Rams general manager also added that he's hoping to negotiate a win-win contract with Nacua so that the Rams have some money left over to pay other guys. 

"There are also so many variables," Snead said of negotiating this type of contract. "There are other players whose contracts are up. Maybe there are so many variables that go into to that make it more complex than it would seem on the surface level. Similar to a few players we've had in the past that have been at that level in the ecosystem, you have to begin communication and begin working through it to come up with win-win solution."

The Nacua negotiation and the Smith-Njigba negotiation are almost certainly going to have an impact on each other, which is why the Rams will be paying close attention to the Seahawks and the Seahawks will be paying close attention to the Rams. 

If Nacua gets a deal first that makes him the highest-paid receiver in the NFL, then Smith-Njigba will likely turn around and look to top that number. If JSN gets his deal first, then Nacua may look to top that number, and due to that dynamic, that would explain why Smith-Njigba isn't in any rush to get his deal done. If Nacua gets his new contrac first, that will likely mean even more money for JSN. In this case, being patient could pay off big for Smith-Njigba. 

Of course, the Seahawks could always try and talk JSN into playing for nothing, which he almost seems open to. Almost. 

"I would play this game for free," Smith-Njigba said on WFAA. "I love this game so much, but you don't have to [play for free]. I'm learning to be a good businessman and we need that check at the end of the day."

If Smith-Njigba gets an extension done this offseason, his next check could end up being worth more than his entire rookie contract.