Seahawks Exercise Fifth-Year Options on Smith-Njigba, Witherspoon

The Seattle Seahawks announced on Friday that they have exercised the fifth-year options on wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and cornerback Devon Witherspoon, securing both players through the 2027 season as the team builds on its recent Super Bowl victory.

The decisions, made ahead of the May 1 deadline for first-round picks from the 2023 NFL Draft, ensure Smith-Njigba will earn a fully guaranteed $23.852 million in 2027, while Witherspoon is set for $21.161 million that year. Both players, selected in the first round that year, were entering the final seasons of their rookie contracts in 2026. Smith-Njigba, the 20th overall pick out of Ohio State, and Witherspoon, taken fifth overall from Illinois, played pivotal roles in the Seahawks' run to Super Bowl LX, where they defeated the New England Patriots 29-13 to claim the title.

Smith-Njigba, now 24, emerged as one of the league's top receivers during the 2025 season. He led the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards on 119 catches and 10 touchdowns across 17 games, earning Offensive Player of the Year honors, a unanimous All-Pro selection and his second Pro Bowl nod. In the playoffs, he added 199 yards and two touchdowns over three...