The Seattle Seahawks cornerback room is not short on talent. Devon Witherspoon had an outstanding rookie season and was a Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist. Riq Woolen had a bit of a sophomore slump due to issues with penalties, coverage busts, and open-field tackling, but it shouldn’t erase the fact that he had a great rookie campaign that ended in his own DROTY nomination. ‘Big Play’ Tre Brown had several solid performances as the de facto CB2. Mike Jackson Sr has shown himself to be a capable starter (although he did lose his starting job to Brown), and Artie Burns has remade himself as slot depth.
…And yet, cornerback could be an area of need for Seattle as we draw closer to the NFL Draft.
For as much praise as I’ve heaped upon the cornerback group, many of them are not likely to be on the team next season. Burns and Jackson arguably aren’t even locks for this year’s roster given their inexpensive deals.
Seahawks cornerbacks under contract in 2025
Riq Woolen (final year of his contract)
Devon Witherspoon
Coby Bryant (final year of his contract, listed as cornerback/safety)
That’s it. I hope that exhaustive list didn’t strain your eyes and drain your brain power.
While the Seahawks have historically been very willing to pay their safeties, cornerback is a different story. In the John Schneider era, Richard Sherman and (unbelievably) Jeremy Lane are the only cornerbacks they’ve signed to a multi-year contract extension—whether drafted or acquired via trade/free agency. Brandon Browner? Not re-signed after his initial three-year deal. Byron Maxwell? A Philadelphia Eagles meme after one game. D.J. Reed? Would’ve loved to re-sign, but he’s a New York Jet.
I’m reasonably confident that Witherspoon will be one of the long-term pieces of the Seahawks defense, so he may be in line for his big payday soon. No one else has earned that level of confidence. A healthy Woolen under a new coaching staff hopefully can recapture his best form, but that’s not a guarantee. While Tre Brown showed promise, he’s also been healthy and available for only one out of three seasons.
