The Seahawks’s star pass catcher has opened up the door for his wide receiver counterparts to get paid.
According to multiple reports, the Seahawks have inked the reigning Offensive Player of the Year to a four-year, $168.6 million contract extension that includes $120 million guaranteed. The pact will pay him an average of $42.
15 million per season, making him the highest-paid wide receiver in league history. The pay day for Smith-Njigba is certainly deserved. On the way to helping Seattle earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC this past season, the 24-year-old hauled in 119 receptions for an NFL-leading 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns. He then carried said production into the postseason, tallying an additional 17 catches for 199 yards and two scores during a run that finished with a Super Bowl LIX victory over the Patriots. Smith-Njigba’s extension will kick in beginning in 2028 and tie him to Seattle through the ‘31 season. What it also does is set up his wide receiver counterparts to cash in as well. Not only does the deal light a fire under some of his draftmates’ teams to get extensions done, but it also establishes a new standard for any cream-of-the-crop pass catcher looking to get paid.Zay Flowers was drafted two spots behind Smith-Njigba. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Zay Flowers was selected by the Ravens out of Boston College with the No. 22 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, two spots behind Smith-Njigba. He’s since gone on to post two consecutive 1,000-plus-yard seasons in 2024 and ‘25, rack up 16 total touchdowns, and be elected to two Pro Bowls. Puka Nacua has established himself as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Puka Nacua was a draft steal of the Rams in 2023, selected with the No. 177 pick as the 20th wide receiver off the board. He's quickly gone on to become one of the top pass catchers in all of football, and in 2025 was named a First-Team All-Pro thanks to a 1,715-yard, 10-touchdown campaign while also leading the league in receptions with 129. The former BYU Cougar was not a first-round pick, and therefore Los Angeles does not have a fifth-year option available on his contract—and while thatmean an extension is in his near future, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo insinuated on Monday that it might be a priority for the Rams.George Pickens was franchise-tagged by the Cowboys this offseason. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images George Pickens has had quite the up-and-down start to his NFL career since being drafted by the Steelers with the No. 52 pick in 2022. After three seasons of quality football—and some sub-quality off-field criticism—he was ultimately shipped out of Pittsburgh to the Cowboys last May in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round pick. The 25-year-old then responded with the best season of his career to date, tallying highs in receptions , yards , and touchdowns in 2025, and was named a second-team All-Pro.prior to the start of the new league year, and while team executive Stephen Jones wouldn't put a timeline on an extension being done, his price tag is now only going up with the Smith-Njigba news.Mike Kadlick is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the New England Patriots for WEEI sports radio in Boston and continues to do so for CLNS Media. He has a master's in public relations from Boston University. Kadlick is also an avid runner and a proud lover of all things pizza.
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