The Seattle Seahawks will look to repeat as Super Bowl champions in 2026, but before they even kick off their title defense, they need to find a way to extend cornerback Devon Witherspoon.
In an article written by ESPN, Seahawks beat writer Brady Henderson revealed that Witherspoon is a name to watch, even though both sides haven't agreed to an extension yet. The fact that Seattle offered an extension but hasn't gotten things across the finish line shows that Witherspoon didn't receive an offer he likes.
"Those negotiations haven't gone as smoothly, with no deal yet despite the fact that Seattle made its initial offer three months ago. All signs have pointed to Witherspoon becoming the league's highest-paid corner when his extension is completed. For now, he's set to make $5.1 million in 2026, then $21.2 million on his fifth-year option in '27."
Considering how impactful Witherspoon is to the defense, Seattle can't afford to fumble this.
Seatle Seahawks would be crazy to put anyone ahead of Devon Witherspoon
In 2026 alone, the Seahawks extended left tackle Charles Cross, edge rusher Derick Hall, and receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Both Cross and JSN are among the top three highest-paid players at their respective positions. They know they couldn't afford to let either of them out of the building, but that same logic applies to Witherspoon.
He's a true chess piece that lines up all over the formation and gives this defense an edge over the opposing team. In 43 career games in Seattle, he has compiled 249 total tackles, 16 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, 32 pass deflections, and two interceptions.
He's made three straight Pro Bowls and was a second-team All-Pro last year. His statistics on Pro Football Focus (subscription required) also back up his claims as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL.
Season | Overall Grade | Coverage Grade | Run Defense Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
2023 | 84.1 (4th among 128 graded cornerbacks) | 79.7 (16th among 128 graded cornerbacks) | 80.0 (13th among 128 graded cornerbacks) |
2024 | 75.8 (15th among 117 graded cornerbacks) | 68.7 (38th among 117 graded cornerbacks) | 90.0 (3rd among 117 graded cornerbacks) |
2025 | 89.9 (1st among 114 graded cornerbacks) | 84.6 (2nd among 114 graded cornerbacks) | 86.7 (2nd among 114 graded cornerbacks) |
Not only do his numbers show that he should be the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL, but he's also physical and will stick his nose as a tackler in the run game. General manager John Schneider needs to pony up the funds to keep Witherspoon around, as he's their best defensive player.
There are multiple contracts they can use as a template to extend Witherspoon. Last year, Sauce Gardner and the New York Jets agreed on a four-year, $120.4 million extension that made him the highest-paid cornerback in the league at $30.1 million per year.
It's also worth mentioning that Christian Gonzalez of the New England Patriots is also due for an extension and will look to get one in the coming weeks.
The longer the Seahawks wait, the more money they'll have to cough up. With training camp starting next month, it would be wise to get an extension done before then. It's a no-brainer that the Seahawks should hammer out a new deal for Witherspoon, but they need to get it done sooner rather than later.
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