The Seahawks have a couple of big contracts coming up for star players, but will the franchise bust the budget to keep them?
The Seattle Seahawks' offseason has gone about as well as fans would have hoped for coming off a Super Bowl win.
Several key free agents, including Kenneth Walker, Boye Mafe, Riq Woolen, and Coby Bryant, walked out the door, while others were retained to be part of the roster tasked with defending the Super Bowl title.
But as we know, franchises don't make roster decisions based on a year-to-year basis; they look three or four years down the line.
Why? Because of upcoming contracts, the projected cap space, and who they think will be available in free agency. And when it comes to the Seahawks, yes, they saw a handful of starters leave, but that was also allowed to happen.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon are two market-setting contracts expected to be done, as both had their fifth-year options picked up.
It gives the Seahawks contractual control over their stars and gives an extra year to sort out a long-term deal.
We know JSN will likely command something north of $35 million APY when it comes time to sit at the negotiation table.
But what about Witherspoon, one of the best corners in football?
Well, like JSN, it's going to be pricey.
According to Spotrac.com, Witherspoon is expected to get a contract of around $82 million over three years when it comes to his time at the negotiation table.
That is a crisp $27.4 million APY.
For reference, if Devon did sign the contract Spotrac.com is predicting, he would become the fourth-highest-paid corner in football.
Trent McDuffie ($31 million APY), Ahmad Gardner ($30.1 million APY), and Derek Stingley Jr. ($30 million APY) would be the only ones paid more than Witherspoon.
Of course, we know that over the past 12 months, it isn't the APY that players focus on, but more so the guaranteed money in the contracts.
And the three mentioned above all have at least $48 million in guarantees in their deals, so Seattle can expect Devon's deal to begin there.
Seattle picking up Witherspoon's fifth-year option shows the franchise wants to keep him long-term, and three Pro Bowls in three years, along with a Super Bowl ring, it is easy to see why.
Yes, like JSN, it will be a big financial outlay, but the Seahawks appear to be just fine with that.