The market for NFL cornerbacks crossed into quarterback territory Saturday. Devon Witherspoon agreed to a four-year, $132 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks, carrying more than $101 million in guarantees and averaging $33 million per season, per a source, making him the highest-paid player at his position in league history. New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez has been in contract talks for months, with Patriots owner Robert Kraft on record saying the team intended to make Gonzalez the highest-paid cornerback in the league.
Witherspoon's $33 million annual average clears the $31 million per season Denzel Ward secured from the Cleveland Browns last month. The sharper read-through is the comparison to quarterbacks. His average exceeds Aaron Rodgers' $22 million per season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kirk Cousins' $11.3 million with the Las Vegas Raiders. Baker Mayfield draws $33.3 million from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, just above Witherspoon on the annual rate, but Mayfield's total guarantees sit at $50 million, less than half of Witherspoon's. Sam Darnold, Witherspoon's own quarterback in Seattle, signed at $33.5 million per season with $55 million guaranteed. Witherspoon is in the same neighborhood on the annual average and nearly doubles him on the guarantee.
A Pro Bowl selection in each of his first three NFL seasons gives the number context. He is being paid to stop opposing wide receivers and quarterbacks, and three seasons of evidence suggests he can. The Seahawks had incentive to move before the Gonzalez negotiation concluded and reset the price above them.
The counterargument is that Kraft's stated intent and a completed contract at that intent are not the same thing. Commitments from ownership to make a player the highest-paid at his position have stalled before. If Gonzalez signs below $33 million per season, Witherspoon's record holds longer than the headline implies.
On balance, the pressure is on New England to close. Kraft went on record, and the team that finished second in the race to sign first now has to clear a harder number to honor it. The line to watch is where Gonzalez lands.