Don’t count out the Seattle Seahawks this season. Many may not be picking them to finish first in the NFC West, but they have a revamped roster, especially on offense.
Sam Darnold, who is coming off a revelatory season with the Minnesota Vikings, is replacing the long-in-the-tooth Geno Smith at quarterback. Cooper Kupp, who is injury-prone but productive when healthy, has traveled north after several seasons with the Los Angeles Rams.
The Seahawks’ No. 1 option on offense is now Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had a breakout season in 2024, which was his second in the NFL. He could now be poised to take another step forward this fall and winter.
He talked recently about how much confidence he has in his game, and he said that he wants to show the world just how capable he is.
“I feel like these guys don’t know for real. … I want to let them know… that I’m proving myself right. Every single day I put the work in. I trust it. Time to shine.”
“I want to let them know… that I’m proving myself right” @jaxon_smith1 Jaxon Smith-Njigba is extremely humble. In his tone, his energy, & his behavior. That’s until the ball is snapped. He’s done the work, put in the time and is ready to show the entire world he is really… pic.twitter.com/IV2LsuMhi9
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) August 25, 2025
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In his second season at Ohio State University, Smith-Njigba exploded for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns, and he set an NCAA FBS bowl game record with 347 receiving yards in that season’s Rose Bowl. He had a serious hamstring injury the following season, but the Seahawks still took him with the No. 20 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
As a rookie, he was behind D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett in the wide receiver pecking order, but he still managed to catch 63 passes for 628 yards and four touchdowns. Last year, his 100 receptions, 1,130 receiving yards and six touchdowns earned him his first trip to the Pro Bowl.
With Metcalf now a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Lockett about to turn 33 years of age, the Seahawks are sure to go to Smith-Njigba early and often.
If Darnold has another season like the one he had last year, when he threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns, it could elevate Smith-Njigba that much more.
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Seattle finished with a 10-7 record and missed the playoffs last year. Its goal this year is to return to the postseason and avoid missing the playoffs for a third straight time, something that it hasn’t done since the 2002 campaign.
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