RENTON, Wash. -- Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon wasn't interested in talking Wednesday about his ongoing quest for a contract extension, but the three-time Pro Bowl selection did explain his decision to practice without one.
Whereas hold-ins have become common in the NFL among players who are seeking new deals, Witherspoon took part in Seattle's offseason and has not missed a day of training camp.
"We've got a long season ahead of us, man, contract or not," he said in his first comments to reporters since Seattle's victory in Super Bowl LX over the New England Patriots. "We've still got to play football at the end of the day, and we've got to be out there and be prepared. If you're not practicing, you're not getting ready for the season because everybody else in the league is practicing and they're getting better.
"That's where my mind is at right now. I'm focusing on what I need to do right now. I'm not really worried about anything else."
After the Seahawks made Jaxon Smith-Njigba the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL in March, they immediately turned their attention to an extension for Witherspoon, a fellow franchise cornerstone and 2023 first-round pick. But whereas Smith-Njigba's deal came together quickly, contract talks with Witherspoon have dragged out for reasons that remain unclear.