Devon Witherspoon is becoming quite legendary for the Seattle Seahawks in terms of both his play on the field and his effervescence both on and off it. His high-end and constant energy is the kind that former head coach Pete Carroll used to have when he was with the team.
But even with a contract extension that has yet to be worked out, the cornerback isn't letting any of that distract him from what he aims to do. That is to play a high level of football and get his teammates to do the same. Witherspoon likely summed up his entire approach in five words recently during minicamp.
"That's how you whoop ass!" Witherspoon told his defensive teammates, according to ESPN's Brady Henderson.
Seattle Seahawks get exactly what they need from the high-performing Devon Witherspoon
This came after a couple of defense stops and a turnover when the first unit for the Seahawks elite defense was doing drills against the top unit of the offense. That doesn't mean that the offense is underperforming already, however. As all 12s likely know, Seattle's defense is so good that it usually outplays just about any offense it is facing.
As for Witherspoon, hopefully, a long-term extension can be worked out before the new season begins in September. It seems certain that general manager John Schneider has already been in talks with the cornerback's people about a new deal.
After all, Schneider and the Seahawks have already inked edge rusher Derick Hall and 2025 First-Team All-Pro wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba to extensions this past offseason. Surely, Witherspoon is next.
The only bit to work out may be how much to pay the fifth overall draft choice from 2023. He has been every bit as good as the team hoped he would be out of Illinois. In three seasons, he's made the Pro Bowl every year. Last season, he was named Second-Team All-Pro by the Associated Press.
He is also just 25 years old and should remain an important part of the Seattle Seahawks defense for much of the next decade. The question is how much it will cost to keep him in the Pacific Northwest.
The highest-paid cornerback currently is the Los Angeles Rams' Trent McDuffie. Seattle's NFC West rival acquired the cornerback this offseason and then immediately agreed to an extension with the player. His average annual salary is $31 million, and he could be paid as much as $124 million over the new deal between 2027 and 2030.
Devon Witherspoon likely wants more than that, and the Seahawks are likely to give him that. How much more is the key unknown. A deal will almost certainly get done, and once it does, the star Seattle cornerback might tell his agent the same thing he recently told his teammates: "That's how you whoop ass!"
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