Smith-Njigba's Record Deal: Seahawks' Calculated Risk

0:00On March 23rd, Jackson Smith and Jigba just signed the richest deal ever for a wide receiver. The Seattle Seahawks locked him up with a four-year contract worth $168.6 million, including $120 million guaranteed. That tops to Mar Chase's previous mark by $7.6 million and pushes Justin Jefferson to 3rd. Fresh off leading Seattle to a Super Bowl win. He's now the highest paid non-quarterback, non-edge rusher in the league. His breakout came after the team traded DK Metcalf last year, making Smith and Jigba their main target in Sam Darnel's offense. He posted 193 receiving yards, more than his first two pro seasons combined, and had a huge 10 catch 100, 53 yard game in the NFC championship against the Rams. Fans and analysts see this as a smart reward for the guy who turned Seattle from frustrating contenders into champions. But it came after losing key veterans in free agency, like Super Bowl MVP, Kenneth

1:03Walker III, Boy A. Mafe, Rick Wullen, and Kobe Bryant all on. Deals over $12 million a year. That cleared cap space for the extension. Now the Seahawks face a tight cap squeeze, with Darnel's average salary at $33.5 million and likely rising after next season. Their quarterback and top receiver could eat up nearly 100 million annually, or about 30% of the cap. Still, Seattle drafts well and could trade Smith and Jigba later for a first round pick if needed. It's a calculated risk on a proven star, betting their system can replace the departed talent while keeping the core intact for another run. Football news powered by AI. This is NFL News Today. I'm Corey with the story.