Patriots' Mike Vrabel praises Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba ahead of Week 1 matchup

The New England Patriots will try to get back at the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 9. 

The defending Super Bowl champions will host Mike Vrabel's team in a long-anticipated Super Bowl LX rematch to get the ball rolling for the 2026 season.

This time, however, the Patriots may not have their Jaxon Smith-Njigba neutralizer, Christian Gonzalez, as there are still some doubts about his health and contract situation.

That might be a big concern for the secondary, as Vrabel knows just how dangerous the reigning Offensive Player of the Year can be.

Mike Vrabel praises Jaxon Smith-Njigba ahead of Week 1 

“Just the suddenness, route craft,” Vrabel told the media. “He is smooth. He can play at different speeds, he plays inside, he runs a full route tree, he is strong at the catch point. But I just think that the savviness and the ability to get in and out of breaks is really impressive.”

Smith-Njigba broke out in his first year as the team's go-to guy. The Seahawks took a big risk when they moved on from DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, yet the Ohio State product proved to be up to the task.

He went from being a slot specialist to thriving all over the field, finishing the season with a whopping 119 receptions for 1,793 yards and 10 scores.

However, Gonzalez certainly got the best of him in the Super Bowl, holding him to just four catches on 10 targets for 26 yards and no scores.

It was Smith-Njigba's only dud of the season, and with the Patriots' superstar cornerback potentially missing the contest, Smith-Njigba's final stat sheet might look very different in Week 1.