After a historic season, Jaxon Smith-Njigba could shatter non-quarterback salary records. Experts suggest aiming higher than any receiver's current deal.
The Seattle Seahawks took care of their business on the field, winning the Super Bowl to cap a season in which wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba emered as a superstar.
Next order of business? The next contract for JSN.
Smith-Njigba is coming off a spectacular season in which he earned Offensive Player of the Year honors after totaling a franchise-record 1,793 receiving yards, which were the eighth-most in a single season in league history.
He was a 2023 first-round draft pick, so he is now entering the final year of his rookie contract, which means he is also eligible for an extension.
How much might that deal cost the Seahawks?
One expert says not to focus on the Bengals' deal with Ja'Marr Chase ... and to think bigger than just the wideout market.
"If I represented him,'' former NFL agent Joel Corry tells SeattleSports. "I would be looking at being the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL, which is Micah Parsons at $46.5 million per year.
"I’d be looking to go above that.”
Oh.
Here's a look at the top 10 non-QB salaries in the NFL ...
1. Packers EDGE Micah Parsons – $46.5 million
2. Lions EDGE Aidan Hutchinson – $45 million
3. Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt – $41 million
4. Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase – $40.25 million
5. Browns EDGE Myles Garrett – $40 million
6. Texans EDGE Danielle Hunter – $35.6 million
7. Raiders EDGE Maxx Crosby – $35.5 million
8. Vikings WR Justin Jefferson – $35 million
T-9. 49ers EDGE Nick Bosa – $34 million
T-9. Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb – $34 million
As you can see, edge rushers are cashing in ... but wide receivers are giving chase.
“Typically, the guys who are the highest-paid non-quarterbacks put the quarterback on the ground,” Corry said. “… But there is a precedent for a receiver being the highest-paid non-quarterback.”
Is JSN now in a class with Jefferson, Chase and Lamb?
The hard numbers say it is so.
And soon enough, we bet, the contract numbers will say the same.