Seattle Seahawks‘ wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba was the conductor of the team’s offensive prowess this year, and the Offensive Player of the Year award was a testament to that. He capped it off by getting his hands on the Vince Lombardi trophy, and he knows his production warrants something big.

The wide receiver has revealed that his next goal is to become the league’s highest-paid receiver.

“I believe I deserve to be the highest paid in my position,” he said to WFAA’s Jonah Jovad. “What I give to the game and the community, I give it my all. I think that’s worth a lot more. I would play this game for free – I love this game so much – but you don’t have to. And I’m learning to be a good businessman, and we need that check at the end of the day.”

Well, he set a franchise record after racking up 1,793 receiving yards, the best mark in the league, and found the red zone 10 times while ending up second in yards per target, so his demand is justified.

The team knows how integral he is to quarterback Sam Darnold, since he accounted for 36.2 percent of the target share this season, the highest mark across the NFL.

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He is only 24 years old right now, and the contract he’s looking forward to is a big ask. Cincinnati Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase pretty much revolutionized the WR market when he signed the four-year, $161 million deal with the team, overtaking the Vikings‘ Justin Jefferson.

The problem is, Jaxson Smith-Njigba still has two years left on his rookie deal worth $14,417,307 if the Seahawks elect the fifth-year option. The contract he is demanding would mean an annual salary of more than $40 million, which would again reset the market. Fortunately, the Seahawks have $63.4 million in cap space, so the financial viability shouldn’t be an issue.

The only question is whether the front office would be willing to offer him such a deal when he might be under contract for two more years. Much to the Seahawks’ delight, he isn’t hurrying to get the deal done.

“I’m really not too pressed right now to get it done,” he added. “I know my time is coming, and when we get it done, it’s going to be a great deal.”

He also said that he’d prefer to win another Super Bowl with the Seahawks over winning the MVP, so his love for the team is pretty obvious. Of course, things are likely to change, with the franchise up for sale.

Seattle Seahawks are officially up for sale

Predicting the Seahawks’ financial viability this season, or even the future, might be futile considering that new owners are expected to take over soon. More than a month ago, reports surfaced that the team was going up for sale, but it wasn’t set in stone until it became official a few days ago.

“The Estate of Paul G. Allen today announced it has commenced a formal sale process for the Seattle Seahawks NFL franchise, consistent with Allen’s directive to eventually sell his sports holdings and direct all Estate proceeds to philanthropy,” the team’s official statement read.

“The Estate has selected investment bank Allen & Company and law firm Latham & Watkins to lead the sale process, which is estimated to continue through the 2026 off-season. NFL owners must then ratify a final purchase agreement.”

Allen stepped into the NFL in 1997 when he bought the franchise but passed away in 2018, nine years after he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. His estate, primarily led by Allen’s sister, Jody, has directed the franchise since his death. Allen’s will communicated that his sporting estates shall be sold following his death, with the proceeds going to philanthropic efforts.

Allen & Company, an investment bank, will be facilitating the sale process, and the team’s estimated value is around $6.59 billion, according to Sportico. Understandably, this is an inflated value, thanks to the Super Bowl win. It’s unclear who the new owners will be, and Jaxson Smith-Njigba would certainly hope that they’re willing to make him the richest wideout in the league.