Devon Witherspoon is moving through Seahawks training camp like a player who already knows the ending.
The contract extension still isn’t done, but the Seattle cornerback isn’t carrying himself like someone stuck in limbo. He’s due for a new deal, the talks have been ongoing all offseason, and yet the hold-up hasn’t changed his approach. Mike Macdonald recently praised Witherspoon for the way he’s handled camp while the negotiations continue.
That confidence makes sense. Witherspoon is under contract for the next two seasons after the Seahawks picked up his fifth-year option, but he’s clearly in line for a bigger payday. The expectation is that he and the front office will eventually land on a long-term agreement that puts him among the NFL’s highest-paid cornerbacks.
His case is easy to make. Through his first three seasons, all of which earned Pro Bowl recognition, Witherspoon has developed into one of the league’s top defensive players. Seattle knows exactly what it has in him, and his value goes beyond just the box score.
Versatility is a big part of the equation. Witherspoon can line up on the outside or in the slot, which gives the Seahawks a lot of flexibility in Mike Maconald's defensive scheme.
That kind of adaptability matters in Seattle’s secondary, where players like Nick Emmanwori and Josh Jobe also bring multiple-position ability. It’s one reason the defense has been among the best in the NFL.
The market sets the framework for what comes next. Witherspoon could end up near the level of Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward, whose two-year, $62.2 million deal pays him $31.1 million per year and currently sits at the top of the position in average annual value.
Seattle is juggling more than one major contract conversation at once, too. The Seahawks are also working through negotiations with Leonard Williams, whose situation is tied to a defensive tackle market that is shifting almost daily at the end of training camp.
For Witherspoon, the message is simple: keep working and let the business sort itself out. He believes his play has earned him this point, and he’s handling the process as if the extension is only a matter of time. For now, it’s still business as usual, with the hope that by the end of training camp, the deal is finally in place.
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