Seahawks Executive Matt Berry Gushes About Jaxon Smith-Njigba

The Seahawks have a potential superstar in receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and even a soft spoken member of the front office can't help but rave about him.

Dec 24, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) celebrates after a touchdown by tight end Colby Parkinson (84) during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports / Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Seahawks are in transition with an entire new staff coming in after the team parted ways with Pete Carroll. What their identity is going to be will be intriguing to see, but defense is likely still going to be the priority.

On the offensive side of the football, Geno Smith is the incumbant starter but backup Sam Howell is a player the team believes in after trading for him this offseason. Away from the quarterback position, one of the most fascinating players on the roster heading into 2024 is receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who has been enjoying a dominant offseason so far.

After the Seahawks selected him 20th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, Smith-Njigba was a great addition to an already stacked wide receiver corps. He has some versatility to his game and can thrive across the line for the Seahawks playing both outside and in the slot.

Seahawks analyst Bryan Walters believes he can be the Seahawks top receiver this season and he isn't alone in thinking Smith-Njigba will take a massive step this season. Seahawks Director of Player Personnel Matt Berry was on the Seahawks Man 2 Man podcast and praised the second-year wide receiver, taking a rare moment to get overly excited about a player.

"JSN's freaking unbelievable. I think between coming off the hamstring coming out of the draft and then the hand injury where he is now compared to where he was this time last year, holy cow guys. Holy cow, it's really cool.

- Matt Berry

During his rookie season, Smith-Njigba caught 63 passes for 628 yards and four touchdowns as the third receiver. That is likely to see growth during his second season, especially with Ryan Grubb as the offensive coordinator. He loves to attack down the field and use three wide receivers, which will mean more opportunities for Smith-Njigba.

The key to unlocking him will be keeping him healthy like last season, as he played in all 17 games as a rookie after missing most of his senior season at Ohio State. The Seahawks could be sitting on a passing game gold mine entering 2024 if he reaches his potential.