Seahawks begin camp without top rookie Devon Witherspoon. Here’s why he hasn’t signed
There is a contract issue in this seemingly peaceful Seahawks training camp, after all.
With their top rookie draft choice.
Presumed starting cornerback Devon Witherspoon was not on the field with his new teammates for the start of camp’s first practice Wednesday. He had yet to sign his rookie contract.
Rookie contract salary amounts, length and signing bonuses have for the last decade been slotted in the NFL, per the league’s collective bargaining agreement with its players. That move was in response to soaring rookie deals going uncontrolled and above the contracts of proven veteran players, before those new players had even played their first pro game.
Now basically the only negotiation point in rookie contract negotiations is over the timing of payments of the signing bonuses. Players increasing want all the guaranteed money they can get up front. The Seahawks are like most teams in wanting to spread those payments and accounting for it across two or four installments. That’s become standard practice in the NFL for rookie deals.
Witherspoon was the fifth-overall pick in May’s draft from Illinois. He was the Seahawks’ starting left cornerback from the first offseason practices.
Riq Woolen, Seattle’s other starting cornerback on the right side and a Pro Bowl star as a rookie last season, also was not on the field to begin training camp Wednesday. Woolen went on the physically-unable-to-perform list. He had arthroscopic knee surgery in May to repair cartilage damage he got during an offseason practice.
This story was originally published July 26, 2023 at 2:02 PM.
