'It Could Be a Lot Better': Seattle Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon Ready For Year Two

After an excellent rookie season, Witherspoon isn't satisfied going into his second season and has lofty expectations as a rising star for the Seahawks.

Nov 19, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) sacks Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) in the first quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Russell Wilson trade ended up being a massive win for the Seattle Seahawks. They didn't just get a massive haul for their former starting quarterback who is already on his second team in three years, general manager John Schneider made the most of those assets received from the Broncos in return.

From that trade, the Seahawks ended up getting two top-10 picks, which they turned into left tackle Charles Cross and cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Both players look to be franchise cornerstones with the latter coming off a tremendous rookie season.

It doesn't matter which way you frame the discussion with Witherspoon. The film shows he was an excellent player no matter the situation. The stats and advanced metrics show the same. He finished with a Pro Football Focus grade of 84.1 overall, allowing just 39 receptions for 396 yards and four touchdowns.

The most interesting stat of Witherspoon's rookie season involves his pass-rush ability. He rushed the quarterback 30 times in his rookie year with 10 pressures and three sacks. A really impressive stat line for a cornerback and not just for a rookie, but in general at the position.

Despite a great rookie season, Witherspoon isn't happy with his performance. In speaking with ESPN's Brady Henderson, Witherspoon thinks the best is on the horizon.

“It’s exciting because I had a good year, but it could be a lot better. That’s what Coach keeps telling me every day. He’s like, ‘You had a good year, but you’ve got so much more potential, and I can’t wait to exploit that.’”

- Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon

Head coach Mike Macdonald loves using versatile cornerbacks who thrive in press coverage. That is Witherspoon in a nutshell. He is a menace at the line of scrimmage with wide receivers and makes their lives incredibly difficult. With the addition of Macdonald into the fold, things could get better quickly for the uber-talented cornerback.