Seahawks 2024 Season Awards: Breakout WR Wins Offensive Player of the Year

It’s been just over two weeks since the Seattle Seahawks concluded their 2024 season. Even though it missed the playoffs, Seattle had multiple players worthy of recognition on a franchise level.

The Seahawks had just one Pro Bowler (cornerback Devon Witherspoon) and were absent from the Associated Press All-Pro teams despite a few players being worthy of recognition.

Our writing staff voted on season awards for the Seahawks on a team level via a ranked-choice system. A first-place vote is worth 10 points, a second-place vote is worth five points and a third-place vote is worth three points.

The awards mirror that of the NFL’s leaguewide awards, with the addition of a Most Improved Player honor. The other awards are: Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Offensive Rookie of the Year, Defensive Rookie of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year.

Fifth on the list of awards is the Seahawks’ Offensive Player of the Year for the 2024 season. On the final voting tally, the number listed before a player’s name is their total points received and the number in parenthesis is the first-place votes received, if any.

Seahawks Offensive Player of the Year: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Final voting: 1. 45, JSN (4); 2. 30, Smith (1); 3. 12, Charbonnet; 4. 3, Metcalf

Smith-Njigba was the clear choice with four first-place votes after enjoying the breakout season he had in 2024. Not only did he tie Tyler Lockett’s reception record of 100, Smith-Njigba finished with 1,130 receiving yards and six touchdown catches.

Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith earned one first-place vote and made the race close, but Smith-Njigba’s rapid improvement from his rookie season to second year won him the award.

Smith, outside of his turnovers, also had a solid season with franchise records in completion percentage (70.4), completions (407) and passing yards (4,320). He tossed 21 touchdowns to 15 interceptions, however, which has been the primary criticism of his season.

There was almost nothing to criticize about Smith-Njigba’s season. He was the best slot receiver in the NFL with 83 catches and 993 receiving yards from that alignment, per Pro Football Focus — both of which led the league. Only Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has produced more from the slot in one season in the last three seasons (1,009 in 2023).

Smith-Njigba’s explosive plays (20 or more yards) doubled from his rookie season, posting 14 this season. Once DK Metcalf was forced to miss two games from Weeks 8–9, Smith-Njigba became the clear top receiving option in the offense.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) celebrates a touchdown with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11). — Dec 8, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) celebrates a touchdown with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) against the Arizona Cardinals in the first half at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

His emergence came at a perfect time, as Lockett may not be with the team in 2025 due to his $30.9 million cap hit entering his age 33 season. Lockett’s 600 receiving yards this season were his lowest since 2017.

Smith-Njigba’s role may be altered with his third offensive coordinator in three seasons, but there’s now a blueprint of how to maximize his talents. After finishing 12th in the NFL in receiving yards, Smith-Njigba is becoming a player worth funneling targets to.

Running back Zach Charbonnet and wide receiver DK Metcalf also received votes.

Charbonnet had a career-high 135 rushes for 569 yards and eight touchdowns, stepping into the starting lineup multiple times throughout the season when Kenneth Walker III was sidelined. He was arguably the more effective running back behind Seattle’s unstable offensive line, averaging a half-yard per carry more than Walker in 2024.

Metcalf was third in the league in receiving yards before his injury in Week 7, but he never fully returned to form while Smith-Njigba instead took over the offense. Metcalf finished with 66 catches for 992 yards and five touchdowns this season.

A lot of unknowns exist with Seattle yet to hire a new offensive coordinator, but Smith-Njigba will be a key piece of the Seahawks offense from here on out.

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