The Seattle Seahawks just won the Super Bowl — but their biggest challenge this offseason might be financial. 💰🏈

Two of the team’s young stars, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon, are about to force a major contract decision that could reshape Seattle’s future roster.

Seahawks Face Major Contract Decisions for Two Young Stars

Just four weeks after defeating the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX, the Seattle Seahawks are turning their attention to a complicated offseason financial situation.

The team must soon decide whether to exercise the fifth-year options on two cornerstone players:

WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
CB Devon Witherspoon

Both players have become key pieces of Seattle’s championship roster, making the decision appear obvious on the surface.

But financially, the situation is far more complicated.

Fifth-Year Options Are a “No-Brainer” — On the Field

From a football standpoint, keeping both players is an easy call.

Across their first few seasons in the NFL, Smith-Njigba and Witherspoon have combined for five Pro Bowl selections and developed into two of Seattle’s most important playmakers.

Smith-Njigba in particular has exploded into one of the league’s elite receivers.

With the wide receiver market now approaching $40 million per year for top players, Seattle would get tremendous value by exercising his fifth-year option.

That option would carry a $23.852 million cap hit for the 2027 season — a relative bargain compared to current market prices.

The NFL Funding Rule Complicates Everything

While exercising the options seems obvious, the decision triggers a financial requirement known as the NFL funding rule.

Under league rules:

Fully guaranteed future salaries must be placed into escrow immediately.

If the Seahawks exercise both fifth-year options, the team would need to deposit roughly $45 million in guaranteed salary for 2027 into escrow.

In other words, Seattle would essentially be pre-paying part of those contracts years in advance.

Why This Creates a Cash Flow Problem

The escrow requirement becomes tricky when combined with another factor: NFL minimum spending requirements under the collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

Seattle must meet a certain level of cash spending in 2026.

However, the escrow deposits used to fund the 2027 contracts do not count toward that spending threshold.

That means the Seahawks could end up:

depositing tens of millions for future salaries
while still needing to spend additional cash in 2026

For a franchise historically known for careful financial management, tying up that much money at once would be unusual.

The Solution: Long-Term Extensions

There is a much simpler option for Seattle.

Instead of exercising the fifth-year options and waiting, the Seahawks could sign long-term contract extensions with both players now.

That strategy would accomplish two things:

1️⃣ Lock up two cornerstone players long term
2️⃣ Help the team meet its 2026 spending requirements through signing bonuses

Large signing bonuses included in extensions would count toward the team’s spending obligations while also securing the players’ futures.

A Crucial Offseason Decision

Seattle’s front office now faces a strategic decision:

Exercise the fifth-year options and delay extensions
or
Sign long-term deals now and solve multiple financial issues at once

Either way, it’s clear that Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon are central to the Seahawks’ future.

And after a Super Bowl victory, Seattle’s next challenge may be keeping its championship core together.