Top draft pick Devon Witherspoon signs rookie deal with Seahawks after two-day absence
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 27: (L-R) Devon Witherspoon poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected fifth overall by the Seattle Seahawks during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station on April 27, 2023 in Kansas C
RENTON, Wash. - Cornerback Devon Witherspoon – the fifth overall pick in this year's NFL Draft – signed his rookie deal with the Seattle Seahawks on Friday after a two-day absence from training camp in a brief contract dispute.
Witherspoon was the last remaining member of this year's rookie class across the entire NFL to sign his rookie contract.
Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Witherspoon's deal is worth a fully guaranteed total of $31.86 million over four years with a $20.2 million signing bonus.
"He’s not here today," head coach Pete Carroll said of Witherspoon's absence on Wednesday. "He knows everything he needs to know. I can’t imagine he won’t be here very soon."
With the value of rookie contracts tied directly to draft slot, there is far fewer items to haggle over in contract discussions now compared to where rookie contracts weren't limited prior to the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement. Contract holdouts for rookies are not few less common than they once were. However, Witherspoon's camp apparently had some issue with the deal structure that kept him from signing until Friday.
With Witherspoon now in camp, the Seahawks waived cornerback Montrae Braswell ahead of Friday's practice and added former University of Washington running back Wayne Taulapapa to the roster instead.
Taulapapa was a tryout player with the Seahawks during rookie mini-camp back in May. Taulapapa had 887 yards in 12 starts for the Huskies last year after transferring in to the school from the University of Virginia.