Oct 6, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) during warmups before the game against the New York Giants at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Analyst's biggest question facing 2025 Seahawks revealed

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated Jul 10, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a prime example of why judging players after one season is pretty much never a good idea.

Smith-Njigba, the No. 20 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, had a ho-hum rookie season with 63 receptions for 628 yards and four touchdowns. He had some great moments, most notably his game-winnnig touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles on a late-season "Monday Night Football" showdown, but as a whole, the Seahawks were probably expecting a bit more from him.

They got exactly that in 2024, however. Smith-Njigba proved why he was the first receiver selected in his draft, tying a Seahawks record with 100 receptions and racking up 1,130 yards and six touchdowns. He eventually usurped the No. 1 receiver role from DK Metcalf, a two-time Pro Bowler.

Now with a new-look offense, the Seahawks want to see Smith-Njigba take the next step to superstardom, but can he? Yahoo Sports' Frank Schwab believes that to be the Seahawks' biggest burning question heading into the 2025 season.

"The Seahawks might rely even more on Smith-Njigba this season," Schwab wrote. "DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are gone. Metcalf never had fewer than 100 targets in his six Seahawks seasons. Lockett declined last season but still had 49 catches for 600 yards. That's a lot of production to replace.

"Cooper Kupp will soak up some of the targets and yards though offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak might have to get creative to get the most out of Kupp and JSN, who both operate from the slot. Also, the Rams not making any effort to bring Kupp back is alarming considering Kupp is 32 years old with a long injury history. Even if Kupp is productive, it seems inevitable that Smith-Njigba's targets will rise from 137 last season to something well north of 150. He showed last season he can be a high volume producer.

Last year, Sam Darnold, the Seahawks' new starting quarterback, relied heavily on Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who had 103 receptions for 1,533 yards and 10 touchdowns. Smith-Njigba may not be on Jefferson's level, but Darnold should be willing to target him in a similar way.

The former Ohio State superstar already etched his name into the Seahawks' record book last season, and if all goes well, he could do so a few more times this season.

This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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