Jaxon Smith-Njigba leads reactions to Seahawks' Rashid Shaheed trade with wide eyes

After Sunday night's dismantling of the Washington Commanders, the NFL saw that the Seattle Seahawks were mean. At Tuesday's NFL trading deadline, the league also saw that they mean business.

The 6-2 Seahawks sent a loud message to the rest of the league by acquiring big-play receiver Rashid Shaheed from the New Orleans Saints. Quarterback and MVP candidate Sam Darnold is only adding to the weaponry that includes Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, rookie Tory Horton, and tight ends A.J. Barner and Elijah Arroyo.

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Smith-Njigba, who is having one of the best receiving seasons in franchise history, reacted to the trade with the wide-eyes emoji but no official comment.

👀
— JSN (@jaxon_smith1) November 4, 2025

More detailed reaction began to trickle in during the afternoon when it was learned the Seahawks sent to the Saints a fourth- and fifth-round pick in next April's NFL Draft.

Former NFL quarterback Brock Huard shared a text from NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah on the "Brock and Salk" show.

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“Speed. Big-play guy. Doesn’t need volume to impact game,” read Jeremiah’s text to Huard.

We've agreed to a trade with the Saints for WR Rashid Shaheed, pending physical.

Read More » https://t.co/1EeImaZqYq pic.twitter.com/PhyEHtUSqD
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) November 4, 2025

“That’s a key point right there… because he’s not gonna get volume,” Huard said of Shaheed. “But… if you get three or four (targets per game), can one of those be a home run? And that answer is yes with this guy.”

To some, the Seahawks overpaid for Shaheed. The two draft picks were more than the Jacksonville Jaguars spent (a 4th and a 6th) to acquire much more accomplished receiver Jakobi Meyers earlier in the day. To others, however, the trade is the final piece to a perfect Seahawks' offensive puzzle.

JSN and Shaheed on the Seahawks is just not fair.

Seattle really isn’t messing around. Darnold has been lights out https://t.co/dlCblbLd3X
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) November 4, 2025

Said former NFL quarterback-turned-ESPN analyst Chase Daniel of the trade: "JSN and Shaheed on the Seahawks is just not fair. Seattle really isn't messing around."

Rashid Shaheed | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

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