Seahawks Just Locked In Two Core Pieces: What This Means for Seattle's Future
The Seattle Seahawks exercised the fifth-year options on wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and safety Devon Witherspoon on Friday, locking in two of their most important defensive and offensive weapons for the long haul. This is the kind of move that signals serious confidence in your core, and it tells you everything you need to know about where Seattle's front office thinks this team is headed.
Keeping Your Stars Around
When you exercise a fifth-year option, you are basically saying, "Yeah, we believe in this guy." For JSN and Witherspoon, that is exactly the message Mike Macdonald's organization is sending. These are not depth pieces or question marks. These are foundational players that the Seahawks want to build around. Getting them locked in for another year removes uncertainty and gives the team continuity heading into the rest of the offseason and beyond.
Building Around Sam Darnold and Company
With quarterback Sam Darnold leading the offense and weapons like JSN and Rashid Shaheed in the passing game, plus Cooper Kupp catching passes from Brian Fleury's scheme, the Seahawks are clearly investing in an offense designed to compete right now. Keeping your secondary locked down with Witherspoon is just as critical. These moves show the team is not in rebuild mode. They are in win-now mode.
The Road Ahead
This offseason is shaping up to be pivotal for Seattle. The Seahawks ranked No. 2 in PFF's Post-Free Agency Power Rankings, which tells you the front office has been active and intentional about improving the roster. Locking in JSN and Witherspoon is part of that bigger picture. Now it is time to see what else Seattle does before the draft to fill out the roster around these cornerstones and get ready to compete when the 2026 season kicks off on Wednesday night.
🐦 What fans are saying on X
See the latest reactions and highlights from Seattle fans about Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
View X conversation →🔮 Trade Seattle Sports on Kalshi
Did you know you can trade on Seattle sports outcomes on Kalshi, the only federally regulated prediction market in the US? Kalshi is available in Washington state. Bet on Seahawks games, Mariners season outcomes, Kraken playoff runs, and more. No sportsbook account needed.
💰 Limited offer: Get a FREE $10 when you sign up!
👉 Sign up at Kalshi.com and use promo code SEATTLEONTAP to claim your free $10.
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.