Insider: Sale shouldn’t affect Seahawks’ ability to extend Witherspoon

One big item remaining on the Seattle Seahawks’ offseason to-do list is to strike a long-term deal with Devon Witherspoon.

Khosla-led group seen as good match for Seahawks’ ‘culture’

But with the franchise going through an ownership change, how does that impact Seattle’s ability to negotiate with the three-time Pro Bowl cornerback?

The Paul G. Allen estate announced this past Saturday that it reached an agreement to sell the Seahawks to a group led by the Khosla family, but the sale isn’t expected to be finalized until Aug. 26, which is when NFL owners are expected to vote on the transaction at a special league meeting, according to ESPN.

According to NFL Network insider Steve Wyche, the timing shouldn’t preclude the Seahawks from inking Witherspoon to an extension.

“Typically when this happens, they’re still able to get deals done,” Wyche said in an NFL Network video earlier this week in reaction to the Seahawks’ sale agreement. “They want to get the Devon Witherspoon contract done. That’s something they can still get done.”

It’s worth remembering that the Seahawks exercised the fifth-year option on Witherspoon’s rookie contract back in March, so the 2023 first-round draft pick still has two years left on his current deal.

That being said, Seattle would presumably like to secure Witherspoon into their long-term plans sooner rather than later, as the versatile 25-year-old standout has already established himself as a cornerstone on the reigning Super Bowl champions’ top-ranked “Dark Side” defense.

ESPN’s Brady Henderson reported back in May that the Seahawks made an initial offer to Witherspoon earlier this spring, but that the two sides didn’t yet appear close to an agreement.

In that same report, Henderson noted there was still plenty of time for the Seahawks to get a deal done, as the team often finalizes extensions around the start of training camp. Seattle opens camp on July 25.

Based on Wyche’s reporting, a Witherspoon deal around that timeframe could still be in the offing – even with the franchise changing hands.

Seattle Seahawks news and more

• What Seattle Seahawks should hope for with new ownership
• Seattle Seahawks sale: What to know about the Khosla family
• Wickersham: Seahawks brass had ‘really good feel’ for Khosla family

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