Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald praised second-year WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba on Monday.

Smith-Njigba received praise for his route-running heading into year two. “He’s got this, like, fluid explosiveness about him,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said Monday. “He can run the entire route tree, incredible ways to track the ball, body control, explosive in and out of his cuts. I talk about this tacit stuff all the time, but this competitor in him, the mentality of what we want, he has that. I encourage him to keep doing those things.” Smith-Njigba is still in line to be the Seahawks’ No. 3 receiver, but continuous praise from the coaching staff indicates he could see an expanded role with new OC Ryan Grubb. D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett will lead the way with Geno Smith throwing the ball, but Smith-Njigba is headed for growth out of the slot position.