2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker
NFL teams have until May 1 to officially pick up fifth-year options on 2023 first-rounders. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of performance- and usage-based benchmarks:
- Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternates) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag
- One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag
- Players who achieve any of the following will receive the average of the third-20th top salaries at their position:
- At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
- A 75% snap average across all three seasons
- At least 50% in each of first three seasons
- Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position
PFR’s Offseason Outlook series examined each of these decisions in-depth, and weeks remain until this year’s deadline. In the meantime, we will use the space below to track all the 2027 option decisions from around the league:
- QB Bryce Young, Panthers ($25.9MM): To be exercised
- QB C.J. Stroud, Texans ($25.9MM): Exercised
- DE Will Anderson Jr., Texans ($21.51MM): Exercised
- QB Anthony Richardson, Colts ($22.48MM)
- CB Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks ($21.16MM): Exercised
- LT Paris Johnson Jr., Cardinals ($19.07MM): Exercised
- DE Tyree Wilson, Raiders ($14.48MM)
- RB Bijan Robinson, Falcons ($11.32MM): Exercised
- DT Jalen Carter, Eagles ($27.13MM)
- RT Darnell Wright, Bears ($19.07MM)
- G Peter Skoronski, Titans ($19.07MM)
- RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions ($14.29MM)
- DE Lukas Van Ness, Packers ($13.75MM)
- LT Broderick Jones, Steelers ($19.07MM): To be declined
- DE Will McDonald, Jets ($13.75MM): To be exercised
- CB Emmanuel Forbes, Rams ($12.63MM)
- CB Christian Gonzalez, Patriots ($18.12MM): Exercised
- LB Jack Campbell, Lions ($21.93MM)
- DL Calijah Kancey, Buccaneers ($14.48MM)
- WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks ($23.85MM): Exercised*
- WR Quentin Johnston, Chargers ($18MM)
- WR Zay Flowers, Ravens ($27.3MM): To be exercised
- WR Jordan Addison, Vikings ($18MM): To be exercised
- CB Deonte Banks, Giants ($12.63MM)
- TE Dalton Kincaid, Bills ($8.16MM): Exercised
- DT Mazi Smith, Jets ($13.93MM)
- RT Anton Harrison, Jaguars ($19.07MM): Exercised
- DE Myles Murphy, Bengals ($14.48MM)
- DT Bryan Bresee, Saints ($13.93MM): Exercised
- DE Nolan Smith, Eagles ($13.75MM)
- DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Chiefs ($13.75MM)
* = Seahawks gave Smith-Njigba four-year, $168.6MM extension
Seahawks, WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba Agree To Extension
Jaxon Smith-Njigba has not needed to wait long to secure his Seahawks extension. The reigning Offensive Player of the Year agreed to terms with Seattle on Monday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
Team and player are finalizing a four-year, $168.6MM pact, Schefter reports. With Smith-Njigba’s fifth-year option having recently been picked up, today’s news means he will be on the books through 2031. This agreement contains record-breaking receiver figures for average annual value ($42.15MM) and guarantees ($120MM), per Schefter.
[RELATED: Details On Seahawks WR’s Record-Breaking Deal]
An extension resetting the receiver market had been something to watch for in this case, although nothing appeared to be imminent with respect to negotiations leading up to today’s news. Seattle was seen as a candidate to finalize this deal sometime around the draft or perhaps closer to training camp, but both sides have acted early. The fact that Smith-Njigba has secured such lucrative terms on his second NFL contract is certainly no surprise.
As a rookie, the former first-rounder averaged fewer than 37 receiving yards per game. Over time, though, Seattle’s setup at the receiver spot has made Smith-Njigba more of a focal point. His production saw a notable jump in 2024 (100 receptions, 1,130 yards, six touchdowns) before spiking once more this past season. With the Seahawks having traded away D.K. Metcalf, Smith-Njigba saw his yards per reception figure increase to a career-best 15.1. He also set a new personal mark with 10 touchdowns while leading the NFL in receiving yards.
That production resulted in a first-team All-Pro nod along with a Pro Bowl invitation in addition to OPOY honors. Smith-Njigba remained an important contributor on offense through Seattle’s playoff run and helped the team win Super Bowl LX. Along with left tackle Charles Cross – who inked a four-year extension of his own in January – he will serve as a foundational presence for years to come.
Prior to today’s news, Ja’Marr Chase led the way in terms of AAV at the receiver spot. His 2025 Bengals extension averages $40.25MM per season, while Justin Jefferson‘s Vikings deal contained $88.74MM guaranteed at signing. Exact details on this Smith-Njigba contract are not yet known, but it certainly seems as though he has managed to comfortably surpass Jefferson in terms of locked-compensation. 2027 was already due to include $23.85MM for the Ohio State product; it will now pay out much more than that.
Seahawks general manager John Schneider once again faces the task of maintaining a Super Bowl core in the wake of his team’s championship. Smith-Njigba and Cross are among the offensive stalwarts who will be counted on to remain in the fold for the foreseeable future. The same will presumably be true of cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Seattle’s other 2023 first-rounder is under team control for the next two seasons thanks to his option being exercised, but he is eligible to sign a monster extension of his own at any time.
Attention will now turn to Witherspoon in the Seahawks’ case with respect to remaining financial priorities. Around the league, meanwhile, this Smith-Njigba accord will no doubt be used as a measuring stick for other high-end receiver deals. Puka Nacua is among the top players at the position in line for an extension, and he could look to challenge these contract terms during negotiations with the Rams. The likes of George Pickens (Cowboys) and Zay Flowers (Ravens) could stand to benefit from the continued upward movement of the WR market as well.
The Seahawks lost offensive Klint Kubiak when he took the Raiders’ head coaching job immediately after the Super Bowl. As such, Smith-Njigba will be working with his fourth OC (Brian Fleury) in as many years during the 2026 campaign. Given his durability and continued increases in production, however, he will be expected to thrive under a new play-caller for next season and well beyond.
Details On Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s Record-Breaking Extension
The Seahawks didn’t waste time extending their star wide receiver, as the organization inked Jaxon Smith-Njigba to a record-breaking contract this morning. We learned that the four-year, $168.6MM deal would reset the position’s average annual value ($42.15MM) and guarantees ($120MM). Thanks to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, we’ve got more details on the pact.
[RELATED: Seahawks, WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba Agree To Extension]
The receiver will earn modest base salaries in both 2026 ($1.25MM) and 2027 ($1.53MM) before seeing a significant jump in 2028 ($18.83MM). That number will increase to $19.9MM in 2029, $32.2MM in 2030, and $37.7MM in 2031. The 2028 and 2029 base salaries are guaranteed for injury at signing, and they’ll become fully guaranteed on the fifth day of their respective year’s waiver period.
Secondly, the contract contains lucrative option and roster bonuses. It starts with a $30MM fully guaranteed option bonus for 2027, followed later by a $10MM option bonus in 2029 (guaranteed for injury and fully guaranteed on the fifth day of 2028 waiver period). Smith-Njigba will also earn a $3MM 2031 offseason roster bonus (due on the fifth day of the 2031 league year). And, to top it off, the Seahawks handed the WR a $35MM signing bonus.
The extension is also full of workout bonuses and per-game incentives. The WR will earn $250K workout bonuses each season from 2026 through 2031. The 2026 and 2027 bonuses are fully guaranteed but must be earned, while the 2028 and 2029 bonuses are guaranteed for injury and will become fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the respective year’s waiver period. Smith-Njigba also has consistent $850K per-game roster bonuses (total) between 2027 and 2031. The 2027 incentive is fully guaranteed and must be earned, while the 2028 and 2029 bonuses are guaranteed at signing and will be fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the respective year’s waiver period.
As Florio points out, the contract comes out to $195MM in earnings over the next six years. That would equal out to a $32.5MM AAV, but the new money represents the record-breaking annual average. In terms of guarantees at signing, Florio adds the contract brings $69.13MM. That sits third at receiver — behind Justin Jefferson ($88.7MM) and Ja’Marr Chase ($73.9MM).
The former first-round pick still had two years remaining on his rookie contract (by virtue of the fifth-year option), and the Seahawks were eager to capitalize on those inexpensive commitments before truly breaking the bank over the following four years. It will be interesting to see if teams follow this trend vs. waiting for their WR to complete their fourth season before extending, as the Bengals did with Chase and the Cowboys did with CeeDee Lamb. Only four first-round receivers in the fifth-year option era have signed post-Year 3 extensions.
Seahawks Likely To Extend Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Devon Witherspoon This Offseason
To no surprise, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon each had their fifth-year options exercised by the Seahawks recently. That ensures both stalwarts will remain in place through 2027.
Seattle is able to work out an extension in each case this offseason, however. Working out an agreement for Smith-Njigba and Witherspoon at some point before the start of the 2026 campaign would fall in line with previous Seahawks timelines. Per Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic, an agreement on both fronts can be expected this spring or summer.
Smith-Njigba will collect $23.85MM in 2027, while Witherspoon is due $21.16MM for that year. Both multi-time Pro Bowlers are no doubt in line to secure more lucrative paydays when their second contracts are finalized. As Dugar notes, extensions at or near the top of the receiver and cornerback markets are likely forthcoming. Smith-Njigba secured Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Pro honors for 2025, a season in which he led the NFL in receiving yards and set new career highs in several categories.
The 24-year-old has seen his receiving totals, yards per catch average and touchdown figures increase with each passing year in the NFL. That, coupled with Smith-Njigba’s durability – no missed games to date – makes him a strong candidate to challenge the top of the WR market. Ja’Marr Chase is attached to a deal averaging $40.24MM per year. His 2025 Bengals extension contained $73.9MM in full guarantees, a figure surpassed only by Justin Jefferson ($88.74MM) at the position. With the salary cap surpassing $300MM, Smith-Njigba will aim to match or outpace Chase and Jefferson’s pacts during negotiations.
Witherspoon, 25, already has three Pro Bowl invites on his resume. The Illinois product was a second-team All-Pro in 2025, and he was a key part of Seattle’s elite defense which carried the team to a Super Bowl title. Expectations will remain high in his case for years to come, and after seeing multiple free agent departures in the secondary the Seahawks could ensure stability with a long-term agreement. Witherspoon is likely to join the nine cornerbacks whose contracts average $20.1MM or more per year. Draft classmate Christian Gonzalez is eligible for a Patriots extension, and he could be a comparable figure in Witherspoon’s case.
Dugar writes nothing is imminent at this point with respect to a Smith-Njigba or Witherspoon extension. That could very well remain the case until after the draft at a minimum. As training camp and the 2026 season approach, though, it will be interesting to see if contract talks pick up.
Seahawks Exercise Fifth-Year Options for WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, CB Devon Witherspoon
The Seahawks knocked it out of the park on the first night of the 2023 NFL Draft, taking Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon with the fifth overall pick of the draft and adding Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba 15 picks later. Both players were huge contributors in the team’s 2025 Super Bowl-winning season, and while extensions continue to be worked towards, Seattle has officially announced its decision to exercise the fifth-year options on both players’ rookie contracts. 
Witherspoon established himself as an immediate star as a rookie, starting 13 of 14 game appearances and logging 16 passes defensed, a 97-yard pick six, and three sacks en route to the first of three straight Pro Bowl seasons. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded Witherspoon as the sixth-best cornerback in the NFL. Starting all 17 games in Year 2, PFF’s 16th-best cornerback that season finished second on the team with 98 total tackles, adding on a sack, six tackles for loss, and nine passes defensed. This year, five missed games near the start of the year led to decreased stat total, but Witherspoon’s excellence when he got back on the field was apparent as he earned second-team All-Pro honors and graded out as PFF’s best cornerback in the NFL.
Smith-Njigba didn’t start nearly as hot as Witherspoon, but he’s taken major leaps in each new season. Playing in every game his rookie year, Smith-Njigba only made three starts and finished behind D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett in all three receiving categories with 63 receptions, 628 receiving yards, and four receiving touchdowns. Playing in every game of Year 2, as well, Smith-Njigba established himself as the new WR1 in Seattle, surpassing Metcalf and Lockett with 100 receptions for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns, earning his first Pro Bowl honors. Benefitting from the departures of Metcalf and Lockett and the arrival of Sam Darnold, Smith-Njigba once again led the team in all three categories with 119 catches for a league-leading 1,793 receiving yards and ten touchdowns, securing Pro Bowl, first-team All-Pro, and Offensive Player of the Year honors.
In the days since the season ended with confetti in San Francisco and parade buses in Seattle, the Seahawks have begun the work of attempting to extend Smith-Njigba. The 2025 OPOY disclosed recently that he does believe he deserves “to be the highest paid” wide receiver in the NFL, but at this exact moment, with two years now remaining on his deal, he was “not too pressed” to work out an extended deal. We haven’t seen the same reports concerning Witherspoon, but that surely doesn’t mean the Seahawks won’t be doing everything they can to land both big fish on huge, long-term deals.
According to Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic, the value of Smith-Njigba’s fifth-year option is projected to be about $23.8MM while Witherpoon’s projects around $21.1MM. Witherspoon’s fifth-year option was inflated to its maximum possible value due to the pair of Pro Bowls he made in his first two seasons. With the top of the receiver market currently set at $40.25MM per year and the cornerback market topping out at $31MM per year, the Seahawks are likely content with those fifth-year figures. There’s a chance neither player sees those options, though, as Seattle will likely continue to push for extensions in the months to come.
Seahawks WR Jaxon-Smith Njigba Discusses Potential Extension
After winning Offensive Player of the Year and a Super Bowl in 2025, Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is eligible for a contract extension this offseason. The Seahawks will prioritize a new deal for the three-year veteran, but they would unsurprisingly have to pay a steep price to lock him up.
Smith-Njigba told Jonah Javad of WFAA he’s “not too pressed” to work out an extension right now. At the same time, though, the 24-year-old declared, “I believe I deserve to be the highest paid at my position.”
That’s not an outlandish statement, especially with the salary cap constantly on the rise. The cap in 2025 was $279.2MM. It’s poised to climb anywhere from $301.2MM to $305.7MM next season. Smith-Njigba and Rams rival receiver Puka Nacua, who’s also in line for an extension this offseason, should be among the beneficiaries.
Both JSN and Nacua have arguments to surpass the contract the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase secured last March. Chase inked a four-year, $161MM pact with $112MM in guaranteed cash last March. He now tops his position in total money, average annual value and guarantees.
Since the Seahawks drafted Smith-Njigba 20th overall in 2023, he has emerged as yet another star receiver from Ohio State. Smith-Njigba, who has never missed a game, has seen his production steadily increase in each season.
A starter in just three games as a rookie, Smith-Njigba hauled in 63 receptions for 628 yards and four touchdowns. He became a full-time starter in Year 2, during which his numbers skyrocketed to 100-1,130-six. The uptick in production led to the first of two straight Pro Bowls for the 6-foot, 197-pounder.
Smith-Njigba spent the vast majority of his first two years working with a middling quarterback in Geno Smith, but the Seahawks shook up their QB room to great results in 2025. A few days before the free agent market opened, the Seahawks agreed to send Smith to the Raiders for a third-round pick. That temporarily left them without a starter, but the Seahawks addressed the vacancy a few days later.
After a long-awaited and unexpected breakout 2024 with the Vikings, former first-rounder Sam Darnold joined the Seahawks on a three-year, $100.5MM pact. Now a championship-winning QB, Darnold hit it off with Smith-Njigba in their first season together. The wideout ranked first in the league in yards (1,793), tied for first in 20-plus yard receptions (27), fourth in catches (119), fifth in targets (163), and tied for sixth in TDs (10). Along with OPOY and Pro Bowl honors, he was named a first-team All-Pro.
While Smith-Njigba has one more guaranteed season on his rookie contract, the Seahawks will sign off on his fifth-year option by May 1. Doing so would at least temporarily set Smith-Njigba up to play 2027 on a projected $24.39MM salary. That looks like a bargain for JSN, who may land a record extension before then.
Seahawks Looking To Extend Jaxon Smith-Njigba
To the surprise of nobody, the Seahawks are hoping to sign Jaxon Smith-Njigba for the long haul. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the team is hoping to extend their star wideout this offseason.
[RELATED: Seahawks Unlikely To Tag Kenneth Walker]
We learned earlier today that the Seahawks weren’t expected to franchise tag running back Kenneth Walker. Part of the reason for that decision was the team’s desire to re-sign a number of their impending free agents, and Schefter also noted the organization’s intention to sign JSN to a long-term pact.
While the former first-round pick topped 1,000 receiving yards in 2024, he emerged as one of the league’s most dynamic offensive players in 2025. Smith-Njigba earned Offensive Player of the Year honors after hauling in 119 receptions for a league-leading 1,793 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. He added another 17 catches for 199 yards and two scores in the playoffs en route to a Super Bowl championship.
The Seahawks will surely pick up Smith-Njigba’s fifth-year option this offseason, meaning the WR will be attached to his rookie contract for two more seasons. Still, the Seahawks may look to extend the star receiver before his demands hit record levels. A number of WRs reset the market last offseason, topped by Ja’Marr Chase‘s $40.25MM average annual value.
JSN could eventually top that number with continued league-leading production, and at the very least, he’ll make a push for a top-four spot at the position. Puka Nacua‘s extension talks with the Rams could also inform JSN’s earnings; Nacua is entering the final season of his contract and should also push for a position-leading deal.
At the very least, Smith-Njigba should command a contract that rivals Justin Jefferson‘s $35MM AAV or CeeDee Lamb‘s $34MM AAV. Considering JSN’s production in 2025, that could end up representing some significant savings for the Seahawks.
WR Notes: Watson, Metchie, Chark, McLaurin, Smith-Njigba
Jordan Love‘s tenure as the Packers‘ full-time starting quarterback will have a bit of a hurdle to navigate this week. In his first start since November 2021, Love will be without the team’s top returning receiver Christian Watson, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.
Watson is dealing with a hamstring injury that could potentially lead to an extended absence. Head coach Matt LaFleur claimed that he doesn’t think Watson will reach a three- or four-week absence but classified the second-year wideout as week-to-week.
The top target in Watson’s absence, fellow sophomore receiver Romeo Doubs, is also dealing with a hamstring injury but is only listed as questionable heading into the weekend. Rookie wideout Dontayvion Wicks is the third such receiver on the team dealing with a hamstring injury, but he managed to avoid the injury report altogether. Star tackle David Bakhtiari is also available after staying off the injury report.
Here are a few more reports on wide receiver injuries from around the league heading into Week 1:
- The world will have to continue to wait for the NFL debut of Texans wide receiver John Metchie III, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Despite making a recovery from both a torn ACL and leukemia, Metchie is still dealing with a nagging hamstring injury. Houston is being patient, taking a “big-picture approach” to Metchie’s return. The team will be without safety Jimmie Ward and linebacker Blake Cashman for Week 1, as well.
- The Panthers are slowly working their way back to full health in their receiving corps, according to Panthers writer Augusta Stone. Back ups Terrace Marshall and Ihmir Smith-Marsette are now fully participating in practice after recent injury trouble. Starters Adam Thielen and D.J. Chark Jr. both returned to practice today in a limited capacity. While Thielen was listed as questionable and could still play, Chark has been ruled out for the team’s season opener.
- The Commanders drew lots of criticism when leading receiver Terry McLaurin sustained an injury as the team played its starters fairly deep into a preseason game in an effort to end the Ravens’ preseason win streak. They’ll dodge a bullet, though, as McLaurin will be active this week after making good progress from his turf toe injury, according to Commanders senior writer Zach Selby. He’s had a couple of full participation practices and should be good to go for Week 1. Defensive end Chase Young has been listed as questionable, though. Head coach Ron Rivera claimed that “if (Young’s) cleared, he’ll go.”
- Despite undergoing wrist surgery just two and a half weeks ago, Seahawks rookie first round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba is expected to play in the team’s season opener against the Rams this Sunday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Head coach Pete Carroll, who was optimistic on the recovery timeline, confirmed as much this week.
Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba To Undergo Wrist Surgery
5:37pm: While Pete Carroll is notoriously optimistic on injury timetables, the 14th-year Seahawks HC gave one that does not make it look like the No. 20 overall pick will recover in time for Week 1. Smith-Njigba will be sidelined for at least three or four weeks, Carroll said (via Fox 13 Seattle’s Curtis Crabtree).
12:44pm: Seattle may be notably shorthanded at the receiver spot at the start of the regular season. First-round rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba is undergoing wrist surgery today to treat a broken bone, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). 
The injury occurred during the Seahawks’ preseason game against the Cowboys on the weekend, and it could cost him regular season time. Schefter adds that the surgery will determine whether or not Smith-Njigba will be able to suit up for Week 1, which is less than three weeks away.
Seattle has D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett firmly in place as receiver starters, but it came as little surprise that the team sought out an addition to that tandem early in the draft. After using the 2023 first-rounder acquired in the Russell Wilson trade on cornerback Devon Witherspoon, the Seahawks used their other Day 1 selection on Smith-Njigba.
That began a run of four straight wideouts being taken, and gave the Seahawks a pass-catcher capable of making an impact on their offense in both the short- and long-term. The 21-year-old staked a case to be the No. 1 wideout in the 2023 class during his sophomore season at Ohio State. Competing for targets with eventual first-rounders Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, Smith-Njigba posted 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns on 95 receptions. That led to massive expectations for a follow-up in 2022, but a lingering hamstring injury limited him to just three games.
Seattle would be wise to proceed with caution if Smith-Njigba’s procedure leaves his Week 1 availability in doubt. Any extended absence would, however, leave a noticeable drop-off beyond Metcalf and Lockett at the receiver position. Dee Eskridge was suspended for the first six games of the campaign after a domestic violence arrest, which will place more responsibility on Smith-Njigba to at least serve as an effective third option when he starts his pro career. The time at which that will happen is now up in the air.
Seahawks Sign WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
The first wide receiver off this year’s draft board will be the first of that Round 1 group to sign his rookie contract. Jaxon Smith-Njigba agreed to terms with the Seahawks on Thursday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
Chosen 20th overall, Smith-Njigba will be tied to a four-year deal that includes a fifth-year option the Seahawks — assuming the Ohio State-developed prospect remains under contract down the road — must exercise by May 2026. For now, Smith-Njigba is the second of this year’s first-rounders — following Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter — to sign his rookie deal.
Smith-Njigba began this year’s run on wide receivers, with three others — Quentin Johnston (Chargers), Zay Flowers (Ravens), Jordan Addison (Vikings) — going off the board from Nos. 21-23. Smith-Njigba is coming off essentially a lost 2022 season. He played in only three games and caught just five passes, nursing a nagging hamstring injury throughout. Despite suffering the injury early in the season, Smith-Njigba did not return in time the Buckeyes’ New Year’s Eve CFP semifinal matchup against Alabama. While that generated some scrutiny, JSN’s dominant sophomore season still powered him to a top-20 draft slot.
Playing on a Buckeyes team deploying 2022 first-rounders Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, Smith-Njigba led the Big Ten powerhouse in receiving — by a substantial margin — and delivered a monster Rose Bowl performance to punctuate his breakthrough year. Smith-Njigba caught 95 passes for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore. Against Utah in that season’s Rose Bowl, he snagged 15 passes for 347 yards and three TDs. Although his hamstring issue undoubtedly came up in pre-draft visits, teams were willing to look past that trouble because of the 2021 emergence.
Not one of the teams linked to Smith-Njigba, the Seahawks will add him to a receiving corps that already includes standouts Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf. Smith-Njigba will not be extension-eligible until 2026, and with teams often waiting until Year 5 on non-quarterback first-rounders’ deals to do extensions, this contract figures to line up well with the higher-end deals given to Lockett and Metcalf. Largely a slot target at Ohio State, the 6-foot rookie is set to become a high-upside WR3 in Seattle to start his career.