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There are many aspects that make the Seattle Seahawks one of the top teams in the NFL and why they are the reigning Super Bowl champions.
One of the biggest reasons is the young players who have emerged as some of the best players in the league.
Cornerback Devon Witherspoon has become one of the top defensive backs in the league in a span of only three seasons.
Witherspoon is listed at No.
4 on ESPN analyst/writer Jeremy Fowlers list of top cornerbacks in the league.
Fowler mentions many aspects that make Witherspoon one of the corners in the league, including where he lines up, how he can get to the quarterback and still lock down receivers.
While he might not be the best lockdown corner in the NFL, there is a serious debate that he might be the most valuable player in his position group.
Witherspoon is the Most Talented Overall Cornerback There havent been many players in NFL history who have been to the Pro Bowl in their first three seasons.
Witherspoon is one of four Seahawks to accomplish this.
Last season, the Seahawks swapped him from slot cornerback, where he started for his first two years, to boundary cornerback.
This allowed him to focus on some of the leagues top wide receivers.
It also allowed a chance for Nick Emmanwori to go from undervalued rookie to future star.
Witherspoon allowed only 9.1 yards per completion, which was the seventh-best among cornerbacks in the league.
He allowed only two touchdowns, 375 yards and a completion percentage of 69.5% throughout the season.
His incredible value for the Seahawks goes beyond man and zone coverage.
In 43 games played in three seasons, he accumulated 16 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and nine quarterback hits.
Head coach Mike Macdonald and defensive coordinator Aden Durde like to have Witherspoon involved in blitzing schemes thanks to his speed, explosiveness, aggressiveness and reliability as an open-field tackler.
This was evident in his one sack and three quarterback hits in the Seahawks 29-13 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX.
One of his hits on quarterback Drake Maye rushed his throw, which was quickly caught by Uchenna Nwosu for a pick-six.
Witherspoon might not be the best coverage in the league, on par with Denvers Pat Surtain, Houstons Derek Stingley or New Englands Christian Gonzalez, but his blitzing, tackling efficiency and dynamic position make him more valuable.
How Valuable is Witherspoon? He is one of the most valuable defenders in the league and now he wants to get paid like he is.
The Seahawks have made it clear that they want to give Witherspoon his long-term contract extension by the time training camp arrives.
The front office has taken care of Witherspoon's draft classmate in wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and edge rusher Derick Hall with their new deals.
This is likely to set up the layout for Witherspoon to get paid.
For weeks, the front office and his agent havent been close on the final number of the deal.
It is likely that Witherspoon wants to be paid among the top cornerbacks in the league due to the great dynamic impact he provides to the Dark Side Defense.
Only four cornerbacks in the league have a deal where theyre guaranteed $100 million.
Of those four players, only two get an average of more than $30 million a year.
Three total players are averaging $30 million or more.
Reggie Johnson of the WIN Sports Groups represents both Witherspoon and Gonzalez, both players who are in serious talks of being among the highest-paid corners in the league.
The Seahawks can likely work out a deal where Witherspoon could receive $30 million annually, but the team must plan for future deals for Emmanwori, defensive tackle Byron Murphy II and quarterback Sam Darnold.
There is, however, still time to get talks rolling and Witherspoon extended in time for training camp or shortly afterwards.
Michael Hanich is a long-time sports journalist with experience across print, digital, and television.
He is currently a producer and reporter for WKRG News 5 in Mobile, Alabama, and has covered Alabama football, Auburn football and basketball, and various college and pro teams for Gulf Coast Media and YardBarker.
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