Getty Image / Abbie Parr
With every team in the NFL either already in camp or preparing to begin, there are some pretty notable holdouts around the league right now.
However, there is one potential holdout that finds themself in a unique situation.
There is only one rookie that could end up holding out during camp.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Devon Witherspoon is not expected to arrive for the start of training camp with the Seattle Seahawks and is the only player selected in this year’s draft that hasn’t signed a contract yet.
Seattle Seahawks' CB Devon Witherspoon, the No. 5 overall pick in April's draft, is not expected on the field for the start of training camp as both sides have been unable to reach a contract agreement.
Witherspoon is the final player among this year’s 259 draft picks to sign.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 26, 2023
Heading into the draft, the Seahawks were actually expected to go in a different direction with the 5th overall pick.
Betting odds had Jalen Carter as a pretty clear favorite to be taken by the Seahawks.
Instead, they decided to go with Witherspoon and potentially return to being one of football’s most feared secondaries.
The franchise that once featured the “Legion of Boom” had already put together a pretty impressive group of defensive backs.
They traded for Quandre Diggs back in 2019 and he has made the Pro Bowl each of the last 3 seasons.
3 years ago, they made a much bigger trade to acquire Jamal Adams to line up alongside him.
Last year, they got an absolute steal in the draft to add a star corner to the mix.They drafted Tariq Woolen in the 5th round and he ended up making the Pro Bowl as a rookie after tying with 3 other players fro the most interceptions in the league.
Adding Witherspoon to that group as he comes off of a consensus All-American season at Illinois could make the Seahawks one of the NFL’s toughest pass defenses.
Before they can make that happen, the Seattle Seahawks will have to come to terms with the last draft pick to sign a contract this season.