Locking up star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the first of two massive dominoes to fall for the Seattle Seahawks this offseason. However, recent intel suggests his record-setting contract extension could complicate the second move of their master plan.
Seattle's desire to secure Smith-Njigba and shutdown cornerback Devon Witherspoon's long-term futures following their triumphant Super Bowl LX run has been no secret. They got the former's deal done rather swiftly and quietly, which was supposed to provide a sense of relief.
Alas, the Seahawks' willingness to spend cash might prove to be a double-edged sword in negotiations with the latter, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.
NFL insider ponders if Jaxon Smith-Njiba's massive contract extension will impact Seattle Seahawks' talks with Devon Witherspoon
Smith-Njigba and Witherspoon play two of the "five real premium positions" in football. Yet, there's a sizable discrepancy between the highest-paid receivers and corners, as Breer highlights. That presents a math problem that the Seahawks may be forced to solve.
Breer wonders Smith-Njigba's historic payday "could change the mindset of players and their agents at premium positions that haven't quite kept the pace." If so, Witherspoon has a chance to reshape the market as we know it.
Four edge rushers and two wideouts are currently making more than $40 million annually. The Washington Commanders' Laremy Tunsil is the only offensive tackle pulling down 30-plus million per year, and he's barely cracking the mark. Moreover, the three top corners are barely earning $30 million a season, though Breer contemplates if Smith-Njigba set Witherspoon up to break the mold.
"So if you're, say, Devon Witherspoon in Seattle or Christian Gonzalez in New England—two 2023 first-rounders who've become top-shelf corners, and balled out in the Super Bowl—are you asking for $32 million to get past [cornerback Trent] McDuffie?" Breer asked. "Or are you asking for a leap that gets the position closer to the other top nonquarterbacks?"
Despite lining up on opposite sides of the ball, it's fair to question whether the Seahawks' negotiations with Smith-Njigba will be used against them. As integral as he is to their offensive and overall success, the same can be said about Witherspoon's defensive contributions.
They've each looked the part of franchise cornerstones since entering the NFL together in 2023, so it'll be fascinating to see what comes next.
Witherspoon missed five games with a knee injury in 2025 and still landed a third straight Pro Bowl nod and his inaugural All-Pro selection. He amassed 72 tackles (two for loss), seven pass deflections, four quarterback hits, an interception, a fumble recovery, and half a sack.
The Illinois product finished as Pro Football Focus' (subscription required) highest-graded corner (89.9) out of 114 qualified options.