Fifth-Year Option Opens Gateway for Seahawks to Extend Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Devon Witherspoon
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Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images [/caption]
In 2023, the Seattle Seahawks possessed two first round picks in the NFL draft thanks to the Russell Wilson trade with the Denver Broncos. They used their fifth overall pick on cornerback Devon Witherspoon out of Illinois. 15 picks later, they look Ohio State star receiving Jaxon Smith-Njigba at No. 20, double-dipping on Big Ten prospects.
Witherspoon has been a Pro Bowler in each of his first three seasons and was instrumental in the Seahawks beating the Patriots in Super Bowl LX. Meanwhile, Smith-Njigba emerged as one of the best receivers in the NFL. In 2025, his NFL-high 1,793 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns earned himself Offensive Player of the Year, the first Seahawk to earn the honor since Shaun Alexander in 2005.
Not surprisingly, the Seahawks are extremely motivated to keep both stars in Seattle long-term, and now, the first shoe has dropped in that effort. On Friday, Seattle picked up the fifth-year option on both players, by virtue of them being first round picks. They were the first team to do so for members of the 2023 draft class, well ahead of the May 1 deadline.
Making the decision now locks both players in through the 2027 season at projected fully guaranteed salaries of roughly $23.852 million for Smith-Njigba and $21.161 million for Witherspoon.
That number for Smith-Njigba would put his 2027 value as the 19th-highest paid receiver, comparing it to current receiver deals. That certainly is a bargain for the Offensive Player of the Year. For Witherspoon, his mark puts him as the seventh-highest paid cornerback. Again, a bargain for perhaps the best corner in the NFL.
However, this likely is not a move to just keep the two stars in Seattle for just 2027. This is likely a strategy to buy time for the organization to work out a long-term extension for both. Picking up the fifth-year option does not replace an extension but instead paves the way for one.
Seattle did this with left tackle Charles Cross before a four-year extension was reached in January, with those four years coming after the fifth year that was picked up last May. A similar structure could be used for both Smith-Njigba and Witherspoon.
As the Seahawks buy time for an extension, what would new deals for the two players look like? As Smith-Njigba said himself, he deserves to be the “highest paid at (his) position.” Right now, that title belongs to Ja'Marr Chase, at $40.25 million per season. Smith-Njigba deserves an extension near there. Perhaps a four-year deal worth $160 million will do.
For Witherspoon, he deserves to be one of the top paid corners with his versatile, all-around skill set. Three cornerbacks now earn at least $30 million per season, including new Rams cornerback Trent McDuffie. That’s likely the ballpark number for Witherspoon. That would be a four-year deal worth roughly $120 million.
Some fans will say that’s an awful lot of cash for two players. However, these are two players that the Seahawks drafted that are also near the top of their positions in the league. Those players need to stay in a Seahawks uniform and also be paid what they’re worth. These two stars have proven they deserve it and paying those prices will be well worth it for retaining foundational pieces off a Super Bowl winner.
