The Seattle Seahawks are gearing up to run in back this season, but retaining one core piece of their title team could pose serious issues.
The Seattle Seahawks enter the 2026 NFL season as the rulers of the roost after taking home the Super Bowl LX title.
It was a monumental moment for the franchise to return to the pinnacle of the league for only the second time. However, the Seahawks don't seem to be satisfied with just one championship and looked prime to be contenders again next season and potentially far beyond.
One of the major to-do items this offseason was keeping All-Pro wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the Emerald City. That was solved quickly with a lucrative four-year deal worth nearly $170 million. While that allowed Seattle to secure one of its major contributors, it opened the door for questions surrounding paydays for other pivotal Seahawks.
On the other side of the ball, corner Devon Witherspoon styled for a Seattle defense that caused NFL offenses headaches all season long. Despite being sidelined for five games with a nagging knee injury, he put up impressive numbers the rest of the season and also made the NFL All-Pro Second Team.
Much like JSN, the Seahawks have been adamant about keeping the star defender inside their locker room.
While the front office doesn't seem shy about dishing out the dough, their willingness could pose a problem in the negotiation process. Over the last few seasons in the NFL, it has become almost a yearly occurrence to see new record-setting or near record contracts.
This has usually been reserved for offensive skill positions, such as Njigba, but the performance of Witherspoon alongside Seattle's insistence to keep him could lead to a historic signing for a defensive player.
The Los Angeles Rams' Trent McDuffie currently holds the highest salary of any cornerback at $31 million per season. He is a skilled player but Witherspoon has arguably made just as big of impact as a Super Bowl winner and one of the league's elite young talents.
With all these factors swirling around, Witherspoon could be prepared to ask for a hefty upgrade to stay with the Seahawks. They have already showed how far they were willing to go to keep Smith-Njigba, which is a move that could be a benefit or a curse in their pursuit of Witherspoon.
For general manager John Schneider, the chance to make a record-setting move is in his hands. If Seattle does make Witherspoon the new leader amongst corners, it could be a move that sends ripples across the league for years to come.