Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba and CB Devon Witherspoon were first-round picks in 2023 and major pieces towards their Super Bowl campaign this past season.
Being 2023 draft picks, they are entering the fourth and final year of their rookie deals. This means they are extension-eligible for the first time, though they do have fifth-year options for 2027 that can be picked up this offseason if they do not figure out extensions.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter made note of both former first-rounders becoming extension-eligible. He expects Smith-Njigba to be the next $40 million per year receiver, while Witherspoon should be among the highest-paid cornerbacks, which will naturally make it much more difficult to build out the rest of the roster going forward.
Smith-Njigba, 23, holds the Ohio State records for most catches in a single game with 15 (twice) and most receiving yards in a single season with 1,606 during the 2021 season. He was a third-team All-American in 2021 and declared for the 2023 NFL Draft after his junior season.
He signed a four-year, $14,417,308 contract that includes a $7,485,316 signing bonus and carried a $3,931,993 cap figure for the 2025 season.
In 2025, Smith-Njigba appeared in all 17 games for the Seahawks and caught 119 of 163 targets for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Witherspoon, 25, was a three-year starter at Illinois and was named a consensus All-American and first-team All-Big 10 following his senior season.
The Seahawks selected him with the fifth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and signed Witherspoon to a four-year, $31,861,152 deal through 2026 with a $20,171,748 signing bonus. He’s scheduled to make a base salary of $1,145,000 in 2026 and carry a cap number of $10,137,639.
In 2025, Witherspoon appeared in 12 games for the Seahawks and recorded 72 total tackles, two tackles for loss, one interception, one fumble recovery and seven passes defended.
We’ll have more on the Seahawks as the news becomes available.
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