Devon Witherspoon's Next Deal Could Be the Seahawks' Biggest Chess Move Yet
The Seattle Seahawks just locked down Jaxon Smith-Njigba with a record-breaking four-year, $168.6 million extension that makes him the highest-paid receiver in NFL history. Now, everyone in the Emerald City is asking the same question: what's next for Devon Witherspoon?
After the team exercised fifth-year options on both Smith-Njigba and Witherspoon last Friday, it was clear the front office wasn't messing around. You spend that kind of money on two former first-round picks because you believe they're cornerstones of a Super Bowl run. And yeah, it's expensive. Really expensive. But here's the thing: can you actually win it all without them? That's the bet the Seahawks are making right now.
Smith-Njigba is Locked In. Now It's Witherspoon's Turn
The Seahawks knocked out one massive task by getting Smith-Njigba signed to that monster deal early in the week. The dude just won Offensive Player of the Year. You don't let talent like that walk. Even after dropping that kind of cash, the team still managed to maintain cap flexibility heading into the rest of the offseason. That's impressive roster management right there.
But Witherspoon is the next domino. The defensive back is in line to get his contract situation sorted, and it's going to be a trickier negotiation than you might think. The team knows it needs him on defense going forward, but the numbers are going to add up fast once you factor in what Smith-Njigba just got paid.
The Coaching Staff is Doing Their Thing
Meanwhile, defensive line coach Justin Hinds just won the 2025 John Teerlinck Memorial Defensive Line Coach of the Year Award. That's the kind of recognition that tells you the coaching staff under Mike Macdonald and his crew is building something special. When your defensive coaches are earning national accolades, it means the defense is being developed the right way.
The Seahawks are clearly thinking big picture here: reward the stars, keep the cap flexible, and trust that the coaching staff can continue developing talent. Now we'll see if Witherspoon's next deal gets done as smoothly as Smith-Njigba's did. The clock is ticking.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.