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Mike Macdonald is entering his first year as Seattle Seahawks head coach, and he already his his eyes set on one player in particular: wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Macdonald specifically zeroed in on Smith-Njigba's work ethic and seems very impressed with the second-year pass-catcher.
Mike Macdonald, talking about Jaxson Smith-Njigba after his huge day, said “his practice habits are awesome.” The feeling inside the organization was that JSN really improved in that regard as last season went on, and that — along with his wrist healing — showed up in his play. pic.twitter.com/ZeG5AUQoy9
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) May 31, 2024
Smith-Njigba, who played his collegiate football at Ohio State, was selected by the Seahawks with the 20th overall pick of the NFL Draft last year.
He played in every game during his rookie campaign, hauling in 63 receptions for 628 yards and four touchdowns.
The 22-year-old actually got off to a slow start in 2023, logging just nine catches for 57 yards in September. He quickly rectified that by catching 14 passes for 152 yards and a couple of touchdowns in October, and in November, he snared 22 balls for 259 yards.
All of that came while serving as Seattle's No. 3 receiver behind D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. His impressive play down the stretch even sparked some Lockett trade rumors, although it doesn't seem like the Seahawks ever seriously considered moving Lockett.
Where do the Seahawks stand heading into 2024?
Seattle went 9-8 this past season, missing the playoffs. For a while, it looked like the Seahawks were a playoff team, as they were 6-3 at one point. However, a four-game losing streak doomed them, and not even winning three of their last four games could save them.
So, where exactly does Seattle stand heading into 2024?
Well, right now, the Seahawks are clearly the third-best team in the NFC West. The San Francisco 49ers are the most talented team in the NFC, and the Los Angeles Rams are considered dark horse Super Bowl contenders by some. Plus, the Arizona Cardinals should be better this coming season with a full, healthy season of Kyler Murray.
In other words, Seattle has a tough road ahead, as those six divisional games will be brutal.
The Seahawks' overall schedule isn't incredibly difficult, but it's not exactly easy, either. It features road games against the Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears. Plus, Seattle will have to battle the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers. Those games will be at home, but those are still some pretty tough opponents.
From a talent perspective, the Seahawks are really middle of the pack, much like their 2023 record indicated. Geno Smith is a capable quarterback, but he definitely isn't the best. Their wide receivers are good, but their running game is ordinary, and defensively, Seattle was terrible last season, ranking 30th in the NFL. The front office didn't do a whole lot to improve in that area this offseason, either.
If Smith can revert back to his 2022 form where he led the league in completion percentage and threw 30 touchdowns, the Seahawks will have a chance to make it back to the postseason. But if he plays like he did this past year, Seattle will probably be a seven-to-nine win ballclub again. Good enough to contend for a playoff spot and win some games against tough opponents, but not good enough to actually make the postseason or make a deep playoff run.
