SEATTLE — 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.
Witherspoon is the lone first-round pick who remains unsigned. 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.
The three quarterbacks taken ahead of Witherspoon in April — Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson — reportedly received 100% of their signing bonuses up front. Outside linebacker Will Anderson Jr., the No. 3 pick, received an 85%-to-15% split with his bonus from the Houston Texans.
Seattle’s 710 AM first reported on the dispute over Witherspoon’s bonus payment.
Witherspoon took part in spring practices despite not having signed his rookie deal, although he was limited early on by what coach Pete Carroll said was a hamstring injury. Because he is not under contract, Witherspoon would not be subject to fines for missing practice during training camp.
Draft picks missing training camp practices has become rare since the implementation of the rookie wage scale in the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, although it’s not unprecedented. Quarterback Zach Wilson, the No. 2 pick in 2021, missed the first two practices of New York Jets camp that year before his rookie deal was signed.
Witherspoon, who played collegiately at Illinois, is the Seahawks’ highest draft pick since Carroll and general manager John Schneider took over in 2010. His four-year rookie deal will be worth just over $31.86 million, which is fully guaranteed, and will contain a fifth-year team option that is standard for first-round picks.
Also Wednesday, the Seahawks placed cornerback Tariq Woolen, safety Jamal Adams, linebacker Jordyn Brooks and three other players on the active/physically unable to perform list to begin training camp.
Adams (quad tendon) and Brooks (ACL) are both coming off season-ending injuries that kept them from practicing in the spring. Woolen needed arthroscopic knee surgery after he was injured in the spring, although Carroll said at the time that he was expected to be ready by camp.
Also starting camp on the PUP list are tight end Noah Fant and nose tackles Bryan Mone and Austin Faoliu. Nose tackle Jonah Tavai was placed on the active/non-football injury list.
Source : ESPN
