RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesRENTON, WASHINGTON - JULY 25: Jaxon Smith-Njigba #11 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts after practice at Virginia Mason Athletic Center on July 25, 2026 in Renton, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) Getty
Jaxon Smith-Njigba offered an aggressive description of what new Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Fleury wants from the defending champions.
Speaking after a training camp practice, Smith-Njigba said the Seahawks are emphasizing fundamentals, yards after the catch and the physical offensive identity that helped carry Seattle to a championship last season.
âWe want to be good at the basics. We want to be good at the fundamentals. We want to be good after the catch,â Smith-Njigba said. âWe want to be great, actually, and just take those short gains and turn them into long runs.â
Then came his strongest assessment of the offense Fleury is building.
âSmashmouth football â thatâs how we love to play,â Smith-Njigba said. âThe defense is going to have to react to us, and weâre just going to keep punching it down their throats.â
Those comments provide an early outline of how Seattle intends to evolve without abandoning the foundation established under former coordinator Klint Kubiak.
Brian Fleury Is Adding to the Seahawksâ Championship Offense
Fleury took over after Kubiak left Seattle to become head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders . He arrived from the San Francisco 49ers , where he served as run game coordinator and tight ends coach.
The transition was designed to preserve continuity. Fleury and Kubiak both worked in Kyle Shanahanâs offensive system in San Francisco, and Fleury said during his introductory press conference that his goal was to maintain as much of Seattleâs existing offense as possible while adding concepts the 49ers had developed more recently.
Smith-Njigba appears open to both parts of that equation.
âI love new stuff and new perspective,â he said. âAs a player, itâs your chance to grow. For me, I feel like whatever the coach asks, I can do it.â
Smith-Njigba added that working with a different coach gives him an opportunity to develop âa more all-around game,â something that could make one of the NFLâs most productive receivers even harder to defend.
That versatility should matter in Fleuryâs offense. Smith-Njigba said Seattleâs receivers can play multiple positions, allowing the coaching staff to move him inside or outside and make his alignment more difficult for defenses to anticipate.
Day 1 in the books. pic.twitter.com/idfnUQcsuM
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) July 26, 2026
Yards After Catch Could Unlock Another Level for Smith-Njigba
The emphasis on turning short completions into explosive plays is especially notable after Smith-Njigbaâs historic 2025 season.
He led the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards, set a Seahawks record with 119 catches and earned first-team All-Pro honors. He produced those numbers on 163 targets in an offense that finished with the NFLâs fourth-fewest pass attempts.
Fleury does not necessarily need to manufacture dramatically more volume for Smith-Njigba. Increasing the value of routine completions could be enough.
Quick throws, crossing routes and other catch-and-run opportunities would allow Seattle to get the ball to Smith-Njigba before coverage can fully converge. His ability to play across the formation should also give Fleury options for creating favorable matchups rather than leaving his top receiver in one predictable spot.
Smith-Njigba described Fleury as a coach who understands his personnel and what individual players do well. He also made it clear that the coordinator will ultimately be judged by what happens on the field.
âIn this business, actions speak louder than words,â Smith-Njigba said. âItâs good to get out here, put your foot in the grass, catch a few balls and see what we have and where weâre going.â
Camp just got a little louder. @12s ð¤ @jaxon_smith1 pic.twitter.com/iavIknVFuC
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) July 25, 2026
Smith-Njigba Welcomes a New Voice After Constant OC Changes
Fleury will be Smith-Njigbaâs fourth offensive coordinator in four NFL seasons, an unusual amount of change for a receiver who has already developed into the centerpiece of Seattleâs passing game.
There are still reasons to believe this transition can be smoother than the previous changes.
Seattle returns quarterback Sam Darnold for a second season, and the offense brought back 10 of the 11 starters from its Super Bowl lineup. Darnold also worked alongside Fleury in San Francisco during the 2023 season and praised the new coordinatorâs command of the run game, passing game and overall system during offseason workouts.
Smith-Njigba believes that continuity with Darnold and the receiving corps can help Seattle take another step, even under a new play-caller.
The Seahawks are not asking Fleury to tear down a championship offense. They are asking him to keep its physical foundation while finding new ways to feature its best players.
Based on Smith-Njigbaâs early assessment, Seattle plans to make that evolution an uncomfortable one for opposing defenses.
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