The Seattle Seahawks have the highest-paid player in franchise history on their roster. Giving Jaxon Smith-Njigba a four-year, $168.6 million extension after the campaign he had was an easy decision, and it signaled the first of two major deals to come.
Weeks and months have passed, and there's still no word on Devon Witherspoon. Like his fellow 2023 NFL Draft classmate, he also became eligible for an extension this offseason, and he's done more than enough to earn it.
Considering that, and with Christian Gonzalez and the New England Patriots also on the clock, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox had a rather obvious suggestion. In his latest column, he urged the Seahawks to extend Witherspoon before the price goes up.
The Seattle Seahawks and Witherspoon still aren't close to a new deal
"Seattle should have no questions about keeping Witherspoon long-term. Extending him before the Patriots re-sign Gonzalez could potentially save the Seahawks millions over multiple years," explained Knox.
That's a no-brainer decision, and it's safe to assume the Seahawks would've done it already if it were up to them. Clearly, there's something holding back these talks; otherwise, he would've put pen to paper almost right after JSN.
According to ESPN insider Brady Henderson, the Seahawks already made him an offer, but both parties remain far apart in these talks. However, like Knox, he also speculates this deal has everything to do with Gonzalez's extension, given that they're both represented by the same agency.
Essentially, Gonzalez, the Patriots, Witherspoon, and the Seahawks are all tangled up in a staring contest. Whoever blinks first will have to settle for the "lesser" deal, with both franchises likely pushing to get an extension done soon.
That said, it's not like the fans should be worried. Witherspoon has been there during OTAs, and he still has two years left in his rookie contract. At this point, it's not a matter of 'if' he'll get an extension, but rather 'when' and for how much. Still, make no mistake, he'll sign before the 2026 season.
Witherspoon has earned the right to be the highest-paid cornerback in the game. Even if that's only a matter of ego, players clearly care about that, even knowing it will be just a matter of time before someone else resets the market.
In just three years in the league, Witherspoon has registered 249 total tackles (170 solo) with 16 tackles for loss, nine QB hits, 4.5 sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and a whopping 32 passes defensed. He's given up fewer touchdowns in every season, and he's been a Pro-Bowler in every year as well.
The Seahawks found two pillars to build around in the 2023 draft, one for each side of the field. And with Smith-Njigba already locked up for the future, general manager John Schneider will have no choice but to ultimately meet Devon Witherspoon's financial aspirations to keep him in Seattle for years to come.
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