Bump: The most impressive factor in JSN’s Seahawks breakout

Dec 9, 2024, 2:01 PM

Seattle Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba...

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba runs with the ball during a 2024 game. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

(Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Seattle Sports

There have been plenty of positive developments for the Seattle Seahawks this season. None may be bigger than the emergence of second-year wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

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The 2023 first-round pick had a somewhat disappointing rookie season while filling the Seahawks’ No. 3 receiver role. Despite being the first receiver taken off the board in his draft class, Smith-Njigba ranked seventh among rookie wide receivers in receptions (63), eighth in yards (628) and tied for eight in TDs (four). He was even outperformed in receptions and receiving yards by a pair of rookie tight ends who were drafted after him.

But it’s been a far different story for the Ohio State product in 2024 as he’s already bypassed his rookie year totals with four games still remaining. Smith-Njigba leads his draft class with 75 receptions and 911 receiving yards this season – the latter of which is good fifth in all of the league. He also has five TD receptions, including a 19-yard score in Sunday’s 30-18 win in Arizona.

Smith to Smith-Njigba for the score! pic.twitter.com/syvqbSRpHy

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 8, 2024

Seahawks Radio Network analyst and former NFL wide receiver Michael Bumpus has been impressed with Smith-Njigba’s breakout campaign, but it’s for reasons other than just his raw receiving totals. Co-host Stacy Rost asked Bumpus to explain why during his Four Down Territory segment Monday on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy.

“He catches the football. It’s as simple as that,” Bumpus said. “You are a receiver. The job description is to catch the rock. He has a 73% catch rate this season, but most importantly, the last four games (he has a) 92% catch rate. He catches it when you throw it to him. He has 20 receptions on third down. He has 16 that have gone for first downs – that’s fifth-best in the NFL. He’s extremely efficient and he has found his groove.”

Smith-Njigba’s reliability in the passing game has resulted in seven games where one or fewer of his targets have gone for incompletions, which includes each game during the Seahawks’ current four-game win streak. He has three 100-yard receiving games and posted a career-best 180 receiving yards and two TDs in Week 9 against the division rival Los Angeles Rams.

After posting a single-game high of 63 receiving yards in 2023, he has surpassed that total seven times this season, including in each of the past six games.

“There was a moment this year where we’re watching JSN and people are questioning (him),” Bumpus said. “We’re looking at the text lines (and people are saying), ‘Man, he was a first-round pick. He doesn’t look like it.’ Sometimes it takes a while for guys to kind of ease in and do their thing.”

Bumpus feels the emergence of Smith-Njigba has given the Seahawks a lot to think about moving forward at receiver.

“What are you going to do with DK (Metcalf)? What are you going to do with (Tyler) Lockett?” Bumpus said. “You feel like if those two were to not be here, you have a No. 1 receiver, but you also understand how important it is to have other threats around that No. 1 receiver so he can continue to eat.”

Listen to Four Down Territory with former NFL wide receiver Michael Bumpus at 11:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. during Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy. Tune in to the show weekdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.