The star corner is expected to sign long-term with the Seahawks, but there hasn't been much movement on a deal this offseason.
The Seattle Seahawks have taken care of a lot this offseason, most notably Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
The All-Pro receiver is now the highest-paid at his position in football as the Seahawks agreed to terms not long after the Super Bowl.
But there is also another player who is ready to sit at the negotiation table, and that's corner Devon Witherspoon.
In the same draft class as JSN, Witherspoon is set to become one of, if not the highest-paid, corner in football, which is why many think that the Seahawks were fine to allow Kenneth Walker, Riq Woolen, Boye Mafe, and Coby Bryant to leave in free agency.
The Seahawks needed the cap space.
With JSN now signed, sealed, and delivered, with minimal fuss, and, in truth, it was a rather quick negotiation. But not for Witherspoon.
Seattle did pick up Devon's fifth-year option, but that is seen as a placeholder for an eventual long-term deal, but there has been hardly any movement on Witherspoon's deal.
But why? ESPN's Brady Henderson hints at a reason why.
“The Seahawks then turned their attention to an extension for star cornerback Devon Witherspoon, a three-time Pro Bowl selection and standout of their Super Bowl LX victory,” Henderson wrote. "But the other big-ticket item on their offseason to-do list has not progressed nearly as easily. Seattle made an initial offer several weeks ago, according to a league source, but the two sides do not yet appear to be close to an agreement.
"Some in league circles have wondered if the relatively slow pace could be related to the fact that Witherspoon is represented by the same agency -- WIN Sports Group -- as another star cornerback, Christian Gonzalez, whom the New England Patriots are currently trying to extend."
We often see players want to drag out their negotiations as they want to be the highest-paid, which means waiting to see what the market will be.
Christian Gonzalez, like Witherspoon, is slated to be among the highest-paid at his position this offseason.
Trent McDuffie owns that title after his move to the Los Angeles Rams, with a $31 million APY, while Ahmed Gardner and Derek Stingley Jr. are the other two corners to make $30 million APY.
It is fair to assume that Witherspoon and Gonzalez will both enter that stratosphere in the coming months, but the big question will be who gets signed first?
There doesn't appear to be much movement in Seattle, but as least we now know why.
