The Seattle Seahawks are hoping for the best regarding the injury to first-round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Earlier on Tuesday, it was announced that he would need surgery to repair a minor wrist fracture he suffered in Sunday's preseason win versus the Dallas Cowboys.

Head coach Pete Carroll and company are well aware that nothing can be determined until after the procedure, but they do have a tentative timeline in mind. One that would excite Seahawks fans if proven true.

“Rookie WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba has not yet undergone surgery for a minor wrist fracture, per HC Pete Carroll,” Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team reported. “He is seeing a hand specialist. They are maintaining an optimistic outlook, but Carroll mentioned that they are hoping it's a 3-4 week deal.”

The injury occurred on one of the game's biggest plays, a 48-yard reception by Njigba-Smith that set up up a one-yard touchdown run for DeeJay Dallas in the second quarter. Regardless of this fairly encouraging update, a hand injury obviously presents concerns for a first-year wide receiver.

Going through a full training camp and preseason allows rookies to be up to speed and on the right track in their development. This setback might steepen the former Ohio State star's learning curve a bit. The team would also love to integrate him into the offense from the season's onset, so that he can really hit his stride by the final stretch of the 2023-24 campaign.

With Tyler Lockett turning 31 years old in September, Jaxon Smith-Njigba could be an essential addition to the WR room. He enjoyed a monster 2021 with the Buckeyes, which consisted of 95 receptions for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns. Unfortunately, lingering hamstring problems limited him to just three games last year.

He is surely anxious after running into more injury problems on the cusp of his NFL debut. Smith-Njigba is going to do all he can to ensure that the big day is not delayed. Or at least not by much.