The Seattle Seahawks have locked in one of the league’s top young defenders for the long term. Three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Devon Witherspoon and the team have agreed to a four-year, $132 million contract extension on Saturday.
The deal includes more than $101 million in guaranteed money and elevates Witherspoon to the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.
Record deal comes after careful timing
Talks stretched longer than many expected. Seattle Seahawks first focused on wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba earlier in the offseason, making him the highest-paid player at his position in March. Devon Witherspoon’s negotiations followed soon after. One possible delay involved Christian Gonzalez of the New England Patriots, who shares the same agent and is also seeking a top-of-the-market extension.
Still, the agreement was finalized on the same day the Seahawks open their preseason schedule against the Dallas Cowboys.
Witherspoon, 25, had continued practicing through the offseason program and into training camp even without a new contract in place. He was scheduled to earn just under $5.1 million this season and already had his fifth-year option exercised in March at roughly $21.2 million for 2027.
Staying focused through negotiations
Coach Mike Macdonald recently praised the cornerback’s mindset during the business discussions. Macdonald said he was “really impressed” by DevonWitherspoon’s ability to separate contract talks from on-field preparation.
Defensive tone-setter and Super Bowl standout
Devon Witherspoon has earned a Pro Bowl selection on the initial ballot in each of his first three seasons. He ranks among the physical and emotional leaders of a Seattle defense that allowed the fewest points in the league during the 2025 season. That unit helped carry the Seahawks to a 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX.
In the championship game, Witherspoon delivered a standout performance. He recorded a sack of Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and delivered a hit that set up a pick-six by teammate Uchenna Nwosu.
Franchise cornerstone since day one
The Seattle Seahawks selected Devon Witherspoon with the fifth overall pick in the 2023 draft, a selection acquired from the Denver Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade. Seattle also took Smith-Njigba 20th overall that same year. Both players have grown into franchise building blocks and Super Bowl champions.
Devon Witherspoon became just the fourth player in team history to reach the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons. During the franchise’s 50th anniversary celebrations last year, the Seahawks named him one of the 50 greatest players in club history. His resume now includes a Super Bowl title and the richest contract ever given to a cornerback.
The extension keeps a cornerstone of Seattle’s secondary in place for the next several years and signals the organization’s commitment to building around its young defensive talent.