How Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s Extension With Seahawks Complicates Things for Rams

The Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks are causing more headaches for the NFC West rival Los Angeles Rams and the offseason has hardly commenced.

Recall that the Seahawks rallied to defeat the visiting Rams 38-37 in overtime in Week 16 on their way to the division title and first-round playoff bye, then edged them 31-27 in the conference championship game.

Seattle’s latest move might be even more costly for the Rams in the long run. (More on that later.)

The Seahawks and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba have reportedly agreed to a four-year, $168.8 million contract extension, with $120 million guaranteed. That would make Smith-Njigba the highest-paid player at his position in the league with an annual average value of $42.15 mil.

The 24-year-old certainly earned it. Taking over as the No. 1 target this past season following the departures of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, Smith-Njigba set team records for receiving yards (1,793) and receptions (119) in a single season and was named the Associated Press’ NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

That the Seahawks and Smith-Njigba got the deal done this early instead of letting it drag later into the offseason says a lot about the franchise and the player.

Smith-Njigba seems to lack the ego of a No. 1 wideout. He doesn’t pout or start fights with opposing defensive backs – drawing unnecessary 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalties – when the ball doesn’t come his way, as Metcalf often did.

And this will give Seahawks general manager John Schneider plenty of time to work on a new deal for cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who like Smith-Njigba was a first-round pick in 2023 – Witherspoon was the fifth overall selection while Smith-Njigba went No. 20.

So how do the Rams figure into all of this?

Well, the price for their own No. 1 wideout, Puka Nacua, just went up.

According to Spotrac, the online sports database that tracks salaries, Smith-Njigba’s market value was $37.7 million compared to Nacua’s $38.7 million.

Nacua had 10 more catches than Smith-Njigba last season, though JSN had 78 more yards, and they each scored 10 TDs.

Will Rams GM Les Snead want to pay a wide receiver that much in coach Sean McVay’s offensive system? Especially when they have Davante Adams, who led the league with 14 receiving TDs last season, on the books for $28 million in 2026.

Snead is known as a tough negotiator and has said he has other players to get to first, so it wouldn’t be surprising for talks with Nacua’s agents to last into training camp.

The Rams have had their share of holdouts – retired defensive tackle Aaron Donald basically sat out of all training camp for two straight seasons while renegotiating – so there’s a precedent.

And while Smith-Njigba has been a model citizen, a report by TMZ Sports on Tuesday indicated Nacua is facing allegations of making an antisemetic remark and biting a woman on Dec. 31, 2025.

Nacua attorney, Levi McCathern, told media outlets the claim is nothing more than a “shakedown attempt” and the bite was a result of some “horseplay.”

So while the Seahawks can sit back with the Lombardi Trophy this offseason and put their feet up, the Rams are in for tumultuous times.