The Seattle Seahawks exercised the fifth-year options for wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and cornerback Devon Witherspoon on Friday, the team announced.
The moves put the two young stars under contract through the next two seasons. However, with both players now extension-eligible following their third NFL seasons, the Seahawks are expected to engage both players in talks on long-term extensions.
The option for Witherspoon, selected fifth in the 2023 draft, is expected to be worth approximately $21.2 million, according to OverTheCap.com, and the option for Smith-Njigba, picked 20th in 2023, is expected to be worth approximately $23.9 million. The salaries for the options, which are for the 2027 season, are fully guaranteed.
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They are the first players drafted in the 2023 first round to have their options exercised. The deadline for teams to exercise the options is May 1.
Both players starred in helping the Seahawks win the Super Bowl last season.
Smith-Njigba, 24, set career highs in receptions (119), receiving yards (1,793) and touchdown receptions (10) en route to being named a first-team All-Pro. In the playoffs, he had 17 catches for 199 yards and two touchdowns in three games.
Witherspoon, 25, is the Seahawks’ No. 1 cornerback and was named a second-team All-Pro last season, during which he had an interception and 72 tackles. He had a sack and 17 tackles in Seattle’s three postseason games.
