The Seattle Seahawks just dropped a massive bomb on the NFL, reportedly agreeing to a four-year, $132 million extension with star cornerback Devon Witherspoon. This isn’t just a big deal for the Emerald City; it makes Witherspoon the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, with a staggering $101 million in guaranteed money.
This deal is absolutely massive, and it totally resets the cornerback market for the second time in five months. Witherspoon’s $33 million average annual salary blows past Denzel Ward’s $31.1 million per year with the Cleveland Browns. Remember back in March when Trent McDuffie’s four-year, $124 million deal with the Rams, which included $100 million in practical guarantees, felt like the ceiling? Well, that ceiling just got shattered, and it’s easy to see why. The Seahawks had already picked up Witherspoon’s fifth-year option on March 20, but locking him down long-term was clearly the priority after our Super Bowl LX victory.
You don’t just hand out that kind of cash to anyone. Witherspoon has earned Pro Bowl selections in all three of his years in the league, proving he’s been elite since day one. As a rookie, he immediately showed why he was the No. 5 overall pick, piling up 79 tackles, three sacks, and 16 passes defended, finishing fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. In his sophomore year, he started all 17 games, racking up 98 total tackles, nine passes defended, six tackles for loss, and a sack. Last season, even with knee issues limiting him to 12 games, Witherspoon still took a huge step forward, earning Second Team All-Pro recognition with 72 tackles, seven passes defended, four quarterback hits, and two tackles for loss. He was a huge piece of a secondary that ranked No. 10 in pass defense and, more importantly, the NFL’s top scoring defense, giving up just 17.2 points per game on the way to our championship.
When it mattered most, in that Super Bowl run, Witherspoon was a beast, finishing with 17 tackles and four passes defended in three postseason games, including our 29-13 win over the Patriots. This extension, coming just after Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s own new four-year, $168.6 million deal in March, shows the Seahawks are laser-focused on keeping our championship core together. We’re talking about a franchise that wants to capture a second straight Super Bowl title, and keeping Witherspoon around means no change of scenery for one of our absolute best players. Get ready, 12s, because with guys like this locked up, the 2026 regular season is going to be electric from the jump.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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