The Seattle Seahawks have exercised the fifth-year rookie contract options for wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and cornerback Devon Witherspoon, the team announced early Friday evening.
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Smith-Njigba and Witherspoon, a pair of All-Pros who were drafted in the first round in 2023, are both candidates for long-term contract extensions. Exercising their fifth-year options buys Seattle more time to get those extensions done. Both were set to hit free agency after the 2026 season prior to their fifth-year options for the 2027 campaign being exercised.
The @Seahawks have exercised the 5th Year Options for Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon.
— Seahawks PR (@seahawksPR) March 21, 2026
Only players drafted in the first round are eligible for fifth-year options on their rookie deals. If exercised, a team gets to extend its first-round pick’s rookie contract for a fifth season at a fully guaranteed salary that is a non-negotiable fixed amount. Teams are required to make a decision on fifth-year options by May 1 of a player’s fourth season.
OverTheCap.com projects Smith-Njigba will get a $23.852 million base salary in 2027. It projects Witherspoon for a $21.161 million salary.
Smith-Njigba, 24, is coming off a standout season in which he led the NFL in receiving yards on his way being named the AP’s NFL Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Pro. He hauled in 119 receptions for 1,793 yards (both franchise records) and 10 TDs, averaging 15.1 yards per catch.
The Ohio State product has produced back-to-back 1,000-yard and Pro Bowl seasons. He has 282 receptions for 3,551 yards and 20 TDs in 51 regular season games during his three-year career.
Witherspoon, 25, totaled 72 tackles, seven passes defended, two tackles for loss, an interceptions and 0.5 sacks in 12 regular season games while earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2025. He was Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded cornerback.
Witherspoon, an Illinois product, has made the Pro Bowl in all three of his pro season. In 43 career regular season games, he’s racked up 249 tackles, 32 passes defended, 16 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. He finished fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2023.
The Seahawks exercised the fifth-year option for 2022 first-round pick Charles Cross last year before signing the left tackle to a four-year, $104.4 million extension through the 2030 season in January.
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