Seahawks officially sign cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon
Mar 16, 2021, 4:16 PM | Updated: Mar 19, 2021, 1:55 pm
Ahkello Witherspoon has spent his first four NFL seasons with the 49ers. (Getty)
(Getty)
Late in the afternoon of the second day of the NFL’s legal tampering period of free agency, it was finally reported that the Seahawks are making an addition.
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Ahkello Witherspoon, a cornerback who has spent four seasons with NFC West rival San Francisco, is joining Seattle. The move was first reported by NFL insider Josina Anderson and the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Seattle made the move official on Friday.
The news of Witherspoon coming to Seattle happened hours after Pro Bowl cornerback Shaquill Griffin was reported to be leaving the Seahawks to sign a multi-year deal with Jacksonville.
A 2017 third-round NFL Draft pick out of Colorado, Witherspoon has started 33 of his 47 games played with the 49ers. He has four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 24 passes defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in his four seasons as a pro. He will be 26 years old during the 2021 season.
With the addition of Witherspoon, the Seahawks could have two former 49ers starting at both cornerback spots next season, with D.J. Reed being the other.
Prior to the news about Witherspoon, little about the Seahawks had come up from NFL reporters since the legal tampering period started. Meanwhile, three Seahawks free agents were reported to have agreed to sign elsewhere: Griffin, wide receiver Phillip Dorsett and running back Carlos Hyde. Notably, all three are said to be going to Jacksonville.
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