If all goes according to plan, Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider will be agreeing to terms on a contract extension for elite cornerback Devon Witherspoon very soon.
Spoon is in an interesting – and highly advantageous position of not merely being Pro Football Focus’s (subscription required) highest-graded corner in 2025, but also being up for an extension just as the Patriots' Christian Gonzalez is in the same boat. The young stars should create a mini-bidding war. The fact that they are repped by the same agents makes their position even stronger.
Still, Schneider has proven very effective at keeping the players he values, and he obviously values Witherspoon. Losing the likes of Kenneth Walker and Boye Mafe this year was painful, but those sacrifices were part of a larger salary strategy that should allow for a Witherspoon extension.
These Seattle Seahawks stars could be next in line for a contract extension
Of course, Devon Witherspoon is far from the only core Seahawk who will be looking to get paid in the next couple of years. That’s the mixed blessing of a talented roster in the salary cap era. Identifying who you choose to pay and who you have to let leave is a constant challenge.
Which current Seahawks players will Schneider attempt to extend once he puts the Witherspoon contract to rest? Schneider already took care of arguably his most important young star when he inked receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba to a massive new deal in March. Spoon is the JSN-equivalent on the defense.
So who’s next?
Several vital players, including Leonard Williams, Uchenna Nwosu and Zach Charbonnet, are pending free agents in 2027, but none appear to be at the top of the list. Schneider will wait and see how Williams fares and how the young players behind Nwosu perform before committing to those veterans. Charbonnet’s health remains a major question.
Perhaps the most interesting pending free agent in 2027 is starting center Jalen Sundell. But Sundell will be an exclusive rights free agent, meaning the club exercises enormous control over his immediate options. There is no pressing need to extend him for at least another year.
These three players, on the other hand, need attention.
AJ Barner, tight end
Barner, a fourth-round pick in 2024, will be an unrestricted free agent (UFA) after the 2027 season. That is the same year Witherspoon hits UFA status. Because he was a first-round pick, the club had a fifth-year option on Spoon, which they exercised. (We can assume they will do the same with Byron Murphy II, making his extension a bit less pressing.)
Barner was supposed to be a solid blocker with some decent pass-catching skills. He has exceeded expectations in both areas. He is an excellent blocker and has proven to be a very dangerous receiver, finishing second on the club in both catches and receiving touchdowns last year.
As Seattle attempts to build a dangerous receiving corps around Smith-Njigba and reload its running attack in the absence of Walker, Barner will be a crucial part of the offense.
Ernest Jones IV, linebacker
Seattle’s defense under Mike Macdonald was struggling midway through his first season as coach. Then John Schneider traded for Ernest Jones. Things immediately began to improve. They continued improving in Jones' second season (and first full year with the club) all the way to the Super Bowl.
On a defense jam-packed with stars, Jones provides the heartbeat. It’s a typical role for a middle linebacker. He led the club in tackles and earned his first All-Pro honor.
And the player who was always deemed a good tackler but suspect in coverage had five interceptions on the year, tied with Devin Lloyd for the most by a linebacker. One of those interceptions resulted in a pick-six. At 26, Jones’ best years should still be ahead of him.
Sam Darnold, quarterback
Here’s something else about Ernest Jones IV. When quarterback Sam Darnold threw four interceptions in a narrow loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 11 last year, Jones cemented his status as team leader by immediately coming to the defense of his quarterback. That says something about Jones’ leadership. It also says something about Sam Darnold.
Priority one for every NFL team is to find its QB. Priority two is to lock him up long-term. Life gets so much easier when you don’t have to worry about who is under center. Amazingly, there are still plenty of experts who do not trust Darnold.
That is entirely based on the shaky start to his career with inferior teams in New York and Carolina. He has proven in the last two seasons that he can win championships. He is not yet 30. And he inspires his toughest teammates – players like Ernest Jones IV. That demands an extension.
Around this time next year, we will probably be writing the same story about players like Abe Lucas and Nick Emmanwori.
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