Jaxon Smith-Njigba Becomes Highest-Paid NFL Receiver

The Seattle Seahawks have locked up Jaxon Smith-Njigba with a four-year contract extension worth $168.6 million, making him the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history. The deal guarantees Smith-Njigba $120 million and carries a $42.15 million average annual value.

Smith-Njigba, 24, arrives at the new contract after a breakout 2025 season that earned him Offensive Player of the Year honors and back-to-back Pro Bowl selections. He paced the league with 1,793 receiving yards on 119 catches, averaged a career-high 15.1 yards per reception, and scored 10 touchdowns while playing a central role in Seattle’s Super Bowl run.

With an annual average of $42.15 million, Smith-Njigba surpasses the previous top-paid receiver, Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals, who carries a $40.25 million per-year mark. The new benchmark also widens the gap with other elite receivers, including Justin Jefferson ($35 million per year) and CeeDee Lamb ($34 million per year).

Seattle’s investment reshapes the top of the wide receiver market and could have ripple effects across the league, particularly for division rival Los Angeles as Puka Nacua heads into the final season of his contract. The extension also follows recent talk that the Seahawks may pursue a new deal for 2023 first-round cornerback Devon Witherspoon, another key piece of the roster.

Smith-Njigba’s extension cements him as the Seahawks’ offensive cornerstone and sets a fresh salary ceiling for receivers as teams evaluate their own extensions and cap strategies.