With every passing week that he helps the Seahawks notch another win, Jaxon Smith-Njigba makes himself a lot more money.

He had perhaps his best game of the season in a 30-24 win over Tennessee in Week 12, catching eight passes for a season-best 167 yards and scoring twice, including a season-long 63-yarder.

JSN set the franchise record for receiving yards in just the 11th game. His 1,313 yards are 10 more than DK Metcalf had in 16 games in 2020. JSN is on pace for 2,029 yards, which would break Calvin Johnson’s record of 1,964 from 2012 (in 16 games). JSN is just 0.4 yards per game behind Johnson’s pace through 12 weeks.

With JSN eligible for a contract extension after this season, it is time to start looking at what he will cost — and how it all fits with the rest of the roster.

JSN is averaging about $3.6 million a year on his rookie deal — he will get more than tenfold that amount on an extension.

The highest-paid NFL receiver is Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase, who averages about $40 million on a four-year extension he signed last March.

So that seems to be the baseline for any JSN deal. Eight other receivers average at least $30 million a year. But JSN should eclipse all of them after his record 2025 season — whether his yardage remains only a team record or ends up as the NFL record.

The Hawks are likely to pick up his option in May, just to lock him into team control for 2027. But then it seems likely they will talk extension in the summer and perhaps have one by training camp.

The Seahawks are projected to have nearly $75 million in salary cap space next offseason, seventh most in the NFL. They will be able to do whatever they want.

Their top free agents are scheduled to be Riq Woolen, Boye Mafe, Josh Jobe, Coby Bryant, Kenneth Walker III and Rashid Shaheed. They chose not to trade Woolen and Mafe, but that does not mean they intend to pay them.

ESPN ranks Woolen as the No. 18 potential free agent and Mafe as No. 22 – so both will be in demand. We don’t think they will want to pay Woolen the $18 million per year he might command in free agency – or the $10 million Mafe might be offered.

We also think Seattle will let Walker go – content to stay cheap at running back. Walker could garner $7 million to $9 million a year (equal to backs such as Tony Pollard, D’Andre Swift, Chuba Hubbard, David Montgomery and James Conner). Seattle probably would not be interested in paying that.

The key free agents the Hawks seem likely to focus on are Bryant, Jobe and Shaheed. The Hawks also are expected to extend Charles Cross and pick up Devon Witherspoon’s option.

As JSN and the Seahawks keep stacking up wins toward a 2025 playoff spot, here’s a look at the status of each position and possible moves to make this team even better in 2026.

Quarterback

Status: Sam Darnold is signed through 2027 and — if he leads the team to the Super Bowl or even just playoff wins — likely will be extended ahead of that season. Drew Lock is signed for another year, and Jalen Milroe has three more years on his rookie deal.

Expected offseason moves: None.

Running back

Status: Walker is a free agent, likely to depart unless he comes back at Seattle’s price. That would still leave Zach Charbonnet, George Holani and Kenny McIntosh – a solid trio.

Expected offseason moves: With Charbs and McIntosh free agents after 2026, the Hawks might want to look at replacing Walker with a draft pick.

Wide receiver

Status: JSN, Tory Horton and Cooper Kupp are all under team control for at least two more seasons. But Kupp is 32 and has a $9 million salary guarantee five days after the Super Bowl.

Expected offseason moves: The Hawks could afford Kupp if he stays healthy – Mike Macdonald calls him a “force multiplier”  due to his all-around impact on the team. … Shaheed’s value will be determined over the rest of the season, but he might want $10 million to $12 million when all is said and done. … The Hawks almost certainly will pick up JSN’s option – and possibly extend him in 2026. He will command top dollar whenever they pay him, and guaranteed money figures to be a complicating factor — Chase reportedly has about $110 million in guarantees.

Tight end

Status: AJ Barner and Elijah Arroyo will be the top tight ends through 2027, with Arroyo signed one more year beyond that. Both are on rookie deals, so that position will remain cheap.

Expected offseason moves: Brady Russell is an RFA who probably will just be re-signed to a one-year minimum-salary deal.

Offensive line

Status: The current group is signed through 2026, including Cross’ option. Abe Lucas and Grey Zabel are signed through 2028.

Expected offseason moves: Cross should get an extension (probably in excess of $20 million a year). After that, it’s about trying to upgrade at the weaker spots – if possible. There could be a number of decent guards on the free agent market. Another high draft pick at guard or center would be a solid choice. 

Defensive line

Status: Leonard Williams is signed through 2026, Byron Murphy II and Jarran Reed through 2027.

Expected offseason moves: At age 31, Williams is playing incredibly, anchoring the entire defense, and it will be interesting to see whether the Hawks decide to add a couple years to his deal or see how he plays at age 32 in 2026. … With Reed already 33, the Hawks could look to fortify this position in free agency or the draft.

Edge rusher

Status: Mafe will be a free agent in 2026, but Uchenna Nwosu, Derick Hall and DeMarcus Lawrence are all under contract — Nwosu and Hall through 2026, D-Law through 2027.  

Expected offseason moves: The Hawks need to look ahead to replacing a lot of those guys. Would they be willing to engage in a bidding war for Trey Hendrickson, willing to pay upwards of $40 million per year? Or might John Schneider try again to get Maxx Crosby from the Raiders? They could afford his $30 million salary (or prorate it). Crosby would put this defense over the top in 2026 and then alleviate the need to draft an edge rusher. He would cost a first-rounder and more (maybe send Nwosu and a 2027 Day 2 pick), but Schneider and Macdonald might be willing to make a blockbuster like that for another force multiplier.

Linebacker

Status: Ernest Jones IV and Tyrice Knight are signed through 2027. Drake Thomas is an RFA.

Expected offseason moves: The Hawks seem likely to tender Thomas, who has developed into a starter under the excellent coaching of Macdonald’s staff. This position has grown more than any other since the start of 2025.

Cornerback

Status: Woolen and Jobe are set to be free agents. Witherspoon is signed for one more year. Nehemiah Pritchett is signed through 2027.

Expected offseason moves: The Hawks need another starter. Our money is on Jobe returning, although he has built up some good value this season and might merit a deal worth as much as $10 million a year. … And maybe Macdonald and Schneider will bring in new blood at the position – through free agency and/or the draft. … This has been a mostly lost season for Spoon, although he just played perhaps his best game in Week 12 and looks to be back in top form. The Hawks certainly will pick up his option and then decide whether to pay him in 2026 or make him prove it heading into 2027.

Safety

Status: Julian Love has missed most of the season, but he will be back and make the same impact he made in 2023-24. He is signed through 2027. … Bryant is scheduled to be a free agent – his value is nebulous, which is why the sides reportedly could not come to an extension agreement before the season. He might cost more than Seattle wants to pay. We think the team would like it to be around $6 million, and some think Bryant might merit over $10 million. So there is a lot of ground to make up if they are going to come to a new deal… Nick Emmanwori, who has emerged as a rookie, has three more years of team control. … Ty Okada, who has been a capable fill-in for Love, will be an ERFA.

Expected offseason moves: The Hawks likely will set their own value on Bryant and be willing to lose him if some other team exceeds that. Okada’s emergence and the potential cheap return of D’Anthony Bell means they still have solid depth here.

Special teams

Status: Jason Myers is signed for one more year, but he will be 35 and the Hawks might look for a cheaper, younger kicker in 2027. Michael Dickson was just extended this year as the highest-paid punter in the NFL.

Expected offseason moves: None.