Trent McDuffie just signed a monster deal, and if you’re a Seattle fan, you need to be paying attention because it means one thing for our guy, Devin Witherspoon: a payday is coming. The current highest-paid corner in the NFL is McDuffie, who snagged a four-year, $124 million deal with the Los Angeles Rams after they traded a first-round pick to the Chiefs for him this offseason. That’s $31 million a year, people! And guess who else “could cash in this offseason as well”? Our very own Devin Witherspoon.
The Emerald City’s Cornerback Is About to Get Paid
Seriously, the market for top-tier cornerbacks is absolutely exploding. With McDuffie setting the bar sky-high at $31 million per year, you know other elite corners are watching this like hawks. There’s talk about how Gonzalez is “angling for more,” and the Patriots are apparently trying some “bush league tactic” by negotiating through the media. Can you believe that? But here’s the real kicker for us: assuming Devin Witherspoon stays healthy and delivers another stellar season, he’s going to be looking to top or at least match deals like Gonzalez’s and McDuffie’s. Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, and even Texans Pro Bowl CB Kamari Lassiter will all be eligible for contract extensions next offseason, too. They’re all rooting for Witherspoon and Gonzalez to break the bank, because the bigger those deals get, the more leverage everyone else has. Cooper DeJean might play a mix of slot corner and safety, so his earning power isn’t a direct comparison, but he’s definitely in that “rooting for big money” club. This isn’t just about other teams, 12s, this is about what’s coming for one of our foundational defensive pieces.
QB Rankings Drop & A Legend Ready For What’s Next
Shifting gears for a minute, because there’s always drama in the league. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler put out his annual work on how NFL executives, coaches, and scouts view quarterbacks, and Jalen Hurts took a hit. He fell from No. 9 in 2025 all the way to No. 17 in 2026. Seriously, No. 17? While it’s clear guys like Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Matt Stafford, and Lamar Jackson are among the best in the NFL, you have to ask yourself if Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, Drake Maye, Jared Goff, and Caleb Williams are *really* better than Hurts. Prescott’s got an argument with his 30 TDs, 10 INTs, and 4,552 passing yards last year, but the others? Hmmm. Maybe those execs should just look at winning when they’re evaluating, you know?
Meanwhile, over in Philly, Saquon Barkley is reflecting on that wild reverse hurdle play from November 3, 2024. He says he never thought it would stay so culturally relevant two years later. He admitted he realized it was “something pretty cool” and “a play I’ll never forget” when he saw it in the locker room. He’s “happy I was able to make that play.” But here’s the kicker: he “also don’t want to be remembered for that play.” He’s “ready for the next one.” You gotta respect that mindset. He’s also apparently talking about missing A.J. Brown and dealing with “another new OC,” which just goes to show you how much churn there is in the NFL.
What does all this mean for us? Well, watching Devin Witherspoon hit the field this season is going to be even more electric, knowing that every big play, every lock-down coverage, is adding zeros to his future contract. We need to keep him in the Emerald City, no doubt about it. So get ready, 12s, because this season isn’t just about wins, it’s about seeing our stars cement their legacies and their bank accounts. It’s going to be wild.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleeding Green Nation.
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