Seahawks Midseason Report Card: How Have Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WRs Performed?

Touchdowns have been hard to come by for the Seahawks' passing game, but a talented trio led by a surging Jaxon Smith-Njigba has remained incredibly productive.

Nov 3, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) tips a pass resulting in a Los Angeles Rams interception in the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

In the midst of their bye week, the Seattle Seahawks find themselves searching for answers in all phases after dropping five of their past six games to plunge into last place in the NFC West.

With nine games down and eight left to play, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb and the Seahawks have had to rely heavily on the passing game thus far, leading to no shortage of opportunities for DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Tyler Lockett, who have combined to snag 119 passes for 1,592 yards and eight touchdowns.

Revisiting the first half of the season, how have Metcalf and Seattle's star-studded receiving corps performed in Grubb's system? Midseason report card:

Areas of Strength: Even after missing the previous two games with a sprained knee, Metcalf still ranks 11th in the NFL with 568 receiving yards and fourth among qualified wideouts averaging 16.2 yards per reception, remaining one of the best big play threats in the sport. In part due to his theatrics as a downfield threat with two touchdowns of 50-plus yards, he also ranks 13th with 195 yards after the catch and sixth in yards per reception after the catch.

Away from Metcalf, Smith-Njigba nearly has equaled his rookie production through nine games, currently tied for sixth with 50 receptions while equaling his veteran teammate for the team lead with 568 receiving yards and three touchdowns. In addition, he leads all receivers with 43 receptions and 514 receiving yards coming from the slot. Tyler Lockett has remained a reliable weapon for Geno Smith as well, ranking 21st in receiving yards (456) and 16th in yards per reception (13.4) as one of the league's premier third receiver options.

Two of the best chain movers in the business, Smith-Njigba and Lockett have each converted 28 receptions into first downs or touchdowns, with the latter posting a ridiculous 82 percent first down/touchdown rate on his 34 receptions.

Areas of Improvement: The Seahawks have been plagued by self-inflicted wounds all season and unfortunately, receivers have not been exempt from that issue. Metcalf coughed up a pair of fumbles in opposing territory in losses to the Lions and Giants, with the first one in Detroit immediately leading to a touchdown on Monday Night Football. In a loss to the 49ers, he also took the blame on a critical fourth quarter interception thrown by Smith, telling reporters he ran the wrong route drifting too far downfield on a crosser.

As for Smith-Njigba, though he only has dropped two passes, his second one led to an interception against the Rams in Week 9. Between him and Metcalf, the two receivers have struggled to win in contested catch situations, combining to catch 14 out of 39 targets from Smith in such situations, ranking 61st and 85th among qualified receivers in contested catch percentage. Lockett has been better catching five out nine contested catches, but still ranks outside the top 30 receivers in contested catch percentage.

Touted for their depth in the preseason, the Seahawks haven't received many contributions away from their big three of Metcalf, Lockett, and Smith-Njigba. Even with increased playing time with Metcalf out, Jake Bobo only has nine catches for 81 yards with no touchdowns and Laviska Shenault has five catches for 36 yards and no touchdowns, providing minimal impact as secondary targets.

Midseason Grade: B

For the most part, though they have combined for just eight touchdowns so far, Seattle's dynamic trio of Metcalf, Lockett, and Smith-Njigba has lived up to the hype with all three players on pace for over 800 receiving yards. Getting Metcalf back healthy after the bye will be critical for the offense to get back on track, but it will also be important for players such as Bobo and Shenault to offer a bit more as complementary targets.

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