Seahawks are incredibly smart to extend Jaxon Smith-Njigba right now

The Seattle Seahawks began the week with a bang by giving superstar wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba a historic extension. Seattle's Offensive Player of the Year received a four-year contract worth $168. 6 million dollars , with $120 million fully guaranteed, to set the new standard as the highest paid player at his position in the NFL.

While this lofty contract is certainly eye-popping, it is also indicative of more shrewd moves from general manager John Schneider. Seattle is one of the best-ran franchises in football, and this move is yet another in a long line of brilliant ones from the Seahawks' brain trust. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is still playing on his rookie contract, and will be for the next two seasons.

The team could have easily saved some pennies in the short term by not addressing JSN's contract until next year. However, had Seattle gone that route, there was only one destination at the end of that particular road: JSN's price tag going up, up and away. By getting the extension done now, the Seahawks are now dictating how the rest of the wide receiver market will play out, instead of being beholden to it.

Yes, $42 million a year is a hefty sum to pay one player, but there are two things to keep in mind: No. 1 - JSN's new contract won't kick in for another two years, as they tacked it on to the end of his rookie deal. So in actuality, this four-year deal is basically a six-year deal as he is contractually tied to the Seahawks through the 2031 season.