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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 07: Devon Witherspoon #21 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts during the third quarter against the San Francisco 49ers during the game at Lumen Field on September 07, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)

Despite winning the Super Bowl to close last season, the Seattle Seahawks have been overshadowed in their own division — let alone across the entire league — by their rivals, the Los Angeles Rams. The Seahawks beat the Rams twice last season, including in the NFC Championship Game in an instant classic that sent Seattle to the Super Bowl.

But the Rams have added some serious firepower this offseason, especially on defense. And as often happens to teams coming off a Super Bowl win, the Seahawks weren’t able to retain all their free agents. That has led some to consider the Rams the better team, even if all they are so far are offseason champs.

According to a couple insiders, however, the Seahawks made a calculated choice to let some of those free agents walk. And the bill is coming due on one star cornerback, Devon Witherspoon….

Adam Schefter Provides Seattle Seahawks Update on Devon Witherspoon Deal

GettySANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 08: Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots throws under pressure from Devon Witherspoon #21 of the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium on February 08, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)

Speaking on NFL Live with Jeremy Fowler, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter said this on Witherspoon’s upcoming contract:

“And Jeremy, that Witherspoon deal — when it gets done — is gonna be a whopper,” Schefter said. “I would expect him to become the highest-paid cornerback in football. I think that deal will get done at some point this summer, that Seattle will keep him.”

“As you mentioned, Seattle not keeping some of those players [their free agents] was with all this in mind. Knowing that they did pay Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and knowing that they still intend to keep Devon Witherspoon, who they want to keep in Seattle. Who at some point here will become the highest-paid cornerback in football.”

Seahawks Are Still Loaded, Even After Losing Some Key Players in Free Agency

GettySAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 04: Devon Witherspoon #21 of the Seattle Seahawks speaks to the media ahead of Super Bowl LX at the San Jose Convention Center on February 04, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

Free agency wasn’t exactly kind to the Seahawks. Key pieces on their Super Bowl team left in free agency, mostly notably Super Bowl MVP RB Kenneth Walker III. But ED Boye Mafe, CB Riq Woolen, and S Coby Bryant were all critical to Seattle’s success last season as well, and now they’re all in different places.

The Seahawks did a pretty good job of reloading at those key positions, however. They were already pretty deep at edge rusher, and they have a cornerback duo they like in Witherspoon and Josh Jobe. Safety and running back were bigger concerns, however, so they went about adding direct replacements for Walker and Bryant in the draft.

With the No. 32 overall pick, the last selection of the first round, the Seahawks took Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price. Then in the second, they took TCU S Bud Clark. It’ll be hard for those two rookies to replicate their predecessors’ production immediately, but Seattle is providing themselves with some insurance after free agency decimate some of their depth.