Getty Seahawks general manager John Schneider (left) and head coach Pete Carroll appear to have won the Russell Wilson trade.
The vibe of the Seattle Seahawks offseason has been high, but things took a turn heading into training camp as rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon is in a dispute with the team over his contract. The Seahawks selected Witherspoon with the No. 5 overall selection in the 2023 NFL draft, and the defender is not expected to report to training camp.
“Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, the fifth overall pick in this year’s draft, is not expected to be on the field for the start of training camp Wednesday as the two sides have been unable to reach an agreement on his rookie contract, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter,” ESPN’s Brady Henderson wrote on July 26, 2023.
Former Seattle quarterback Brock Huard turned Seahawks Twitter into a frenzy after dropping the surprising news that Witherspoon is considering holding out. Rookie contracts are uniformly straight forward under the new collective bargaining agreement, but the two parties are at odds over when the corner receives his signing bonus.
“Witherspoon is the lone first-round pick who remains unsigned,” Henderson added. “At issue, a source confirmed to ESPN, is the payment schedule of his slotted $21.17 million signing bonus. The Seahawks, like some other teams, defer portions of bigger bonuses to later dates for cash-flow purposes. Witherspoon wants more of his bonus up front than what the Seahawks have offered.”
Seahawks Rumors: Seattle & Rookie Corner Devon Witherspoon Are at Odds Over His Signing Bonus
With the Seahawks practicing for the first time this afternoon, @BrockHuard says we may be in for a surprise: will #5 pick Devon Witherspoon be there? Brock has heard rumblings that he won’t sign his contract and won’t attend.
Here’s why:
For context, Giants defender Kayvan Thibodeaux was the No. 5 selection in the 2022 NFL draft and inked a four-year, $31.3 million contract. Witherspoon will likely receive something similar to this deal. The early signs point to Witherspoon wanting more of his signing bonus up front than Seattle has been willing to give.
“With the Seahawks practicing for the first time this afternoon, @BrockHuard says we may be in for a surprise: will #5 pick Devon Witherspoon be there?” ESPN 710 Seattle’s Mike Salk tweeted on July 26. “Brock has heard rumblings that he won’t sign his contract and won’t attend.”
Seahawks News: Seattle Placed 6 Players on the PUP List at the Start of Training Camp
Seattle announced more bad news as the team placed six players on the active/physically unable to perform list as training camp began on July 26. There were several key players on this list including corner Tariq Woolen, safety Jamal Adams, linebacker Jordyn Brooks and tight end Noah Fant. Nose tackles Bryan Mone and Austin Faoliu were also placed on the list. Additionally, nose tackle Jonah Tavai was placed on the non-football injury list.
The good news is the Seahawks season does not begin until September 10, so there is plenty of time for these players to get back at full strength. It is still concerning to see so many key players recovering from injuries.
Lengthy rookie holdouts have become extremely rare under the new CBA, so fans can expect things to get worked out with the star rookie sooner rather than later. That said, the 12s will breath easier once Witherspoon is signed and begins receiving the much needed NFL training camp reps as he begins his pro career.
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Seahawks Star Expected to Pull Surprise Holdout: Report