Jaxon Smith-Njigba showed up on the Seahawks’ injury report again Tuesday, still limited as Seattle moves toward Thursday night’s matchup at the Denver Broncos.
It was an estimated report because the team did not practice, but the status was the same for Smith-Njigba: limited with an ankle injury for a second straight day. The wideout is coming off a big afternoon in Seattle’s 32-29 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, when he caught five passes for 102 yards and a touchdown. He also left a play on the field late, dropping a deep third-down pass on the Seahawks’ final drive.
Smith-Njigba’s ankle issue came out of Sunday’s game, and the timing matters with Seattle set for one more injury report Wednesday before it heads into the short week.
There was movement elsewhere on the report. Guard Beau Stephens, who had been limited the previous day, was upgraded to full participation Tuesday.
A 2026 fifth-round pick out of Iowa, Stephens has been sharing right guard duties with Christian Haynes since Week 2 after starter Anthony Bradford went down with knee and hip injuries that eventually sent him to injured reserve. Against San Francisco, Stephens was on the field for 30 offensive snaps, which was 47.6%.
The Seahawks also continued to list linebackers Drake Thomas and Chazz Surratt as did not participate. Thomas, dealing with an ankle injury, was hurt late in the first half Sunday but returned after halftime. Surratt, nursing a calf issue, has now missed the last two games.
Wide receiver and special-teams ace Irv Charles was listed as a full participant again after being activated off injured reserve earlier in the day, putting him in position to make his Seahawks debut Thursday. Running back Zach Charbonnet was limited with a knee injury, though head coach Mike Macdonald said Monday that the plan is for Charbonnet not to play Thursday.
Seattle Seahawks injury report Tuesday:
Did not participate: LB Drake Thomas (ankle) LB Chazz Surratt (calf)
Limited participation: QB Drew Lock (right forearm)
RB Zach Charbonnet (knee) WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (ankle)
DT Leonard Williams (ankle)
Full participation: RB George Holani (ribs, knee)
WR Irvin Charles (knee) G Beau Stephens (shoulder)
In Other News...
Jaxon Smith-Njigba Just Became Seattle's Biggest Thursday Night X-Factor
Jaxon Smith-Njigbas week of practice offered a small dose of concern when the Seahawks receiver was limited by an ankle issue, but he heads into the matchup with Denver without an injury designation. That matters for a Seattle offense that has leaned on him heavily this season, with Smith-Njigba emerging as one of the teams most important playmakers through the first five games.
The timing only adds to the intrigue on Thursday night. Denver will be missing key defensive pieces in Pat Surtain II and Talanoa Hufanga, which opens a path for Seattle to keep feeding its top target if he looks like himself. For the Seahawks, the question is less about whether Smith-Njigba is available and more about how much damage he can do against a Broncos secondary that is suddenly shorthanded. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Suddenly Need A Spark From An Unsettling Backfield Situation
The Seahawks kept churning the bottom of the roster this week, signing running back Velus Jones Jr. off the practice squad and letting wide receiver Irv Charles go before bringing him back. It was the latest in a string of recent activations and releases involving the same players, a reminder of how fluid Seattles roster has become as it tries to navigate the back end of the season.
Jones has mostly made his mark on special teams this year, but the move also hints at a bigger role on offense if the team continues to be thin at running back. For a Seattle group looking for a spark, the backfield is suddenly one of the more unsettled spots on the roster, and the next few days could determine how much opportunity Jones gets to prove he can do more than cover kicks. [Read more 🡒]
Jaxon Smith-Njigba Brings Seahawks One Big Question Into Broncos Game
Jaxon Smith-Njigba gave the Seahawks a timely lift Wednesday by turning in a full practice session after being limited earlier in the week with an ankle injury. On a short week, that kind of update matters, especially with Seattle heading into Thursday Night Football against the Broncos and trying to keep its passing game on track.
Still, the abbreviated schedule leaves one real question hanging over the matchup. Full participation is a positive sign, but it does not automatically mean Smith-Njigba is fully over the ankle issue, so the Seahawks will be watching closely right up until kickoff to see how he responds. [Read more 🡒]