Three Questions About Future of the Seahawks After Jaxon Smith-Njigba Megadeal
Earlier this week, the Seattle Seahawks made NFL history by making Jaxon Smith-Njigba the highest paid non-quarterback ever, inking him to a four-year, $168.6 million extension (averaging $42.15 million per year with $120 million guaranteed).
While fans are excited to see the reigning Offensive Player of the Year staying in Seattle for the next half-decade at least, this megadeal raises some questions. Let’s dive into three.
1. Is It Wise to Have Such an Expensive WR Room?
With Smith-Njigba’s deal, per Spotrac, the Seahawks now have the most expensive receiver group in the NFL. That is counting Cooper Kupp’s roughly $13 million for next year, along with Rashid Shaheed’s brand new three-year, $51 million contract.
Current Wide Receiver Spending
(based on combined APY)
1. Seahawks, $83M
2. Bengals, $77M
3. Cowboys, $71M
4. Eagles, $67M
5. Lions, $64M
Full Listhttps://t.co/jfTRqeYXjw— Spotrac (@spotrac) March 23, 2026
That’s a lot of cash stowed away in the receiver room for a team that is built to run the ball. Especially when the running back position is still a giant question mark.
That is a legitimate concern moving forward. With the remaining resources, which are now more limited in the future with Smith-Njigba’s massive extension, can they still be that physically dominant team that run roughshod through the postseason to a Super Bowl title?
The luxury Seattle has right now is that both of their starting tackles are locked up for several years while the entire interior of their offensive line is on rookie deals. That’s unique.
This is an impossible question to answer right now, given that the team won’t feel the biggest affects of this deal until a few seasons from now. The team still has over $33 million in cap space for 2026, which ranks eighth-most. It’s worth noting that, as of now, the Seahawks have the ninth-least amount of cap room for the 2027 season. Of course, much can be done about that between now and then.
2. When Will Devon Witherspoon Get His Extension, and For How Much?
This is one of those situations where the deal could be announced by the time this article gets published. There’s a general feeling of inevitability to Witherspoon getting a deal done, like his 2023 draft class mate. Like his fellow 2025 All-Pro teammate, Witherspoon got his fifth-year option picked up by Seattle. Insiders like Adam Schefter suggest a deal could come before or during training camp
Certainly, Witherspoon will expect to become one of, if not the top paid cornerback. If there are any arguments about that, the Illinois product need only turn on Super Bowl LX, when he single-handedly wrecked the Patriots’ entire offensive gameplan. Right now, the top paid corner is also in the NFC West. The Rams’ shiny new toy, Trent McDuffie, just got $124 million over four years, adding up to $31 million per season. That is likely the reference point for Witherspoon, who has started his career with three straight Pro Bowl nods.
3. Will This Prevent Extensions For Class of 2024 Stars?
This is probably the most ominous question. The extension of Smith-Njigba brought all the good vibes to the fanbase and organization. However, this does limit what they might be able to do with massive extensions in the coming years. It’s hard to pay all your best players top dollar. That’s not how the NFL, with its salary cap, works.
Seattle built a Super Bowl championship team with a strong defensive line. Selecting Byron Murphy 16th overall in 2024 set that in motion, pairing him with Leonard Williams. After a pedestrian rookie year in 2024, Murphy II looked every bit the all-world defensive tackle Seattle wanted this past season.
2026 will mark his third season, which means Seattle can pick up his fifth-year option as a first-round pick next season. If he has a monster 2026 to build on his sophomore campaign, he will want paid handsomely too. That would likely come sometime in 2027. Luckily, the Seahawks have plenty of money off the books in 2027, perhaps freeing up enough to pay Murphy like a top-tier defensive lineman.
AJ Barner is turning into a fine tight end, coming from that same 2024 class. He may not command George Kittle-type money, but he has fit in perfectly with the Seahawks. He will be set for a raise very soon.
After 2027, players like Uchenna Nwosu, Cooper Kupp, Julian Love, DeMarcus Lawrence, and even Sam Darnold may be off the payroll. The nice thing about the NFL is that you can usually churn through payroll in a matter of a few seasons to prepare for a massive payday.
The short answer is no, the Smith-Njigba deal or even the pending Witherspoon extension does not mean the Seahawks can’t afford to keep the likes of Byron Murphy II or AJ Barner long-term. There is enough coming off the books over the next few years to where the Seahawks can get creative to keep a few more of their core players long-term.
