Last season, it was the Jaxon Smith-Njigba show on offense, but can he do it again?
For the Seattle Seahawks on offense last season, it was the Jaxon Smith-Njigba show as the receiver had an All-Pro year.
Over 1,700 yards, 10 TDs, and over 100 receptions, JSN was the driving force in Seattle's passing game. No receiver came close to half of Smith-Njigba's totals by the end of the year.
So, while we marveled at his excellence in 2025, as we turn our attention to 2026 and training camp, the Seahawks have one question to answer on offense.
And that is who will step up to ease the offensive burden?
Just because Jaxon can do it all himself doesn't mean he should, and no doubt defensive coordinators will be trying their best to take him away each week.
That means Sam Darnold has to find other avenues to move the ball down the field.
For NFL.com's Matt Okada, finding another option in the passing game is crucial for Seattle this upcoming season.
"Too many people see the name Cooper Kupp and the $51 million attached to Rashid Shaheed’s contract and are convinced Seattle is set behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba," Okada wrote. "I am not.
"Meanwhile, JSN handled 36.6 percent of the team’s receptions last year, the highest share by any player in the last decade, per TruMedia. One man can carry an entire offense for only so long."
There are options, as Okada writes, and Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed are the legitimate options.
But can we really count on an aging Kupp and Shaheed, who is a special teams ace and last was a genuine receiver back in 2023 with the New Orleans Saints, to do the heavy lifting?
Others, like Jake Bobo and Tory Horton, might have to take on increased reps at receiver, or it might be that the tight ends under Brian Fleury develop into pass catchers. They could ease the load.
In truth, it will likely take the whole offense to chip in and be productive, because JSN will be the main target for defenses each week, which means that, at times, Darnold will have to find other ways to move the ball down the field.
There are options, but all are question marks right now. Luckily, there's plenty of time before the regular season starts to find answers to those questions.
