RENTON — Some might say that it already happened — in Week 2 vs. the Patriots.
The stat line makes a case for that being Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s proverbial “breakout game,” when he caught 12 passes for 117 yards in Seattle’s overtime win.
But the Seahawks receiver didn’t score that day, had a late drop that could have been costly, and — let’s face it — was facing one of the worst teams in the NFL.
So perhaps Sunday vs. the Bills — one of the best teams in the NFL — is when the first-round pick from two drafts ago shows the nation what he can do. With DK Metcalf likely sidelined, maybe this is when JSN upgrades to VIP.
The attention from fans on Smith-Njigba hasn’t seemed as intense as previous Seahawks first-round picks. Most of the focus from the 2023 class went to fifth-overall pick Devon Witherspoon, the cornerback selected 15 spots ahead of Jaxon.
JSN also joined the likes of Metcalf and Tyler Lockett in the receiving corps, where he became the de facto No. 3 option. So the spotlight may have lacked some voltage … but there’s a reason Smith-Njigba was selected on a Thursday.
His 95 receptions and 1,606 receiving yards at Ohio State his sophomore year were tops in the Big Ten. His 4.48 40 time may not be in the Metcalf range, but his route running is as precise as his hands are proficient.
But in his rookie season, JSN never had a game in which he caught for more than 63 yards. And in last Sunday’s 34-14 win over the Falcons, he had just 9 yards on three receptions.
It’s a departure from his Buckeye days, no doubt. But there’s only one ball, and two other receivers that have made the Pro Bowl. Jaxon knows this.
“Some games it’s up and down, so I’m still trying to get used to that, really, but not trying to get used to it at the same time,” Smith-Njigba said. “I would always love to do more.”
Important note: That was not JSN complaining about his number of targets. He added that he didn’t mind his limited production given that the offense at large was rolling.
And as Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said, “JSN is a guy I feel throughout the game” regardless of what the numbers say. He certainly isn’t someone a defense can forget about.”
He also isn’t someone whose stat-sheet inconsistencies can be blamed on a lack of preparation. When asked about Smith-Njigba last Thursday, the first thing Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith mentioned was how hard he goes in practice.
“What I see from him is a relentless work ethic. I think the way that he prepares, the way that he works is outstanding. You guys don’t get to see him every day in practice, but I mean he’s just the same guy every single day,” Smith said. “For a young guy to be building on that and to be really pushing himself in that way, it is only going to make him better.”
It’s true, we don’t get to see him in practice every day, but we can see the look on his face when a ball gets away from him. That happened on a crucial third down in a loss to the 49ers two games ago, and Smith-Njigba looked as if he was on the brink of tears at his locker postgame.
“When things aren’t going my way, you know, if we’re losing it sucks. I don’t want to be at that end of the stick,” JSN said. “But that’s the game. It’s the NFL. Everyone’s a professional, everyone’s good. There’s going to be more games like that.”
There have also been games in which JSN was the key cog in the most entertaining play of the contest. The first came last month in Detroit, when he tossed the ball backward to running back Zach Charbonnet for a 17-yard gain on third-and-six. The second came Sunday vs. the Falcons, when he threw into double coverage and completed a 35-yard pass to Metcalf.
Geno joked that JSN might not have the best decision-making ability, but the play worked. Now we’ll see what kind of work Smith-Njigba puts in on Sunday.
JSN is aware of the opportunity he has but said the focus is simply helping his team beat Buffalo.
“At this point, it’s hard to get into any other space other than ‘do my job,'” he said. “Hopefully DK can be out there and play for us, but if the coaches need me, ‘hey we need you to step up this week’… I’m always up for the challenge.”
