Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is in line for a contract extension, and after winning the 2025 Offensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl LX, he believes it should reset the market.
"I believe I deserve to be the highest paid in my position," he said in an interview with WFAA’s Jonah Javad.
"Just what I give to the game and the community, I give it my all, and I think that's worth a lot more," he continued.
Becoming the NFL’s highest-paid wide receiver would mean surpassing the $40.25 million per year mark set by Ja'Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals.
While Smith-Njigba knows his new deal will threaten Chase's mark, he’s in no particular hurry for the situation to be addressed, adding how he would "play this game for free".
Smith-Njigba has plenty of leverage. He led the NFL with a franchise record 1,793 receiving yards, scored 10 touchdowns, and made his second straight Pro Bowl.
The 24-year-old also played a crucial role in the playoffs before helping the Seahawks lift their second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.
With roughly $63.4 million in cap space, Seattle has the flexibility to take care of Smith-Njigba’s extension, even with new possible deals looming for Devon Witherspoon and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker.
And when the contract is finally signed, it will surprise no one if Smith-Njigba stands alone as the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history.