Tag: Devon Witherpsoon

Pro Football Focus’ 3 highest-graded Seahawks vs. 49ers on defense

Pro Football Focus’ 3 highest-graded Seahawks vs. 49ers on defense

The Seattle Seahawks claimed a massive victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, winning their Week 11 contest within the NFC West 20-17. Mike Macdonald’s excellent defense limited Kyle Shanahan’s offense to 17 points and just 277 total yards of offense. Brock Purdy threw for just 159 yards and one interception. Analyzing the advanced metrics, these were the Seahawks’ three highest-graded players on defense, according to Pro Football Focus.

Devon Witherspoon | CB | 78.2

Devon Witherspoon was everywhere, totaling a season-high eight tackles for Aden Durde’s aggressive defense. Witherspoon was competitive, recording three pass breakups in this game alone. PFF credited the versatile corner with allowing just four receptions on seven targets for 37 receiving yards. The 49ers found no success throwing the ball in his direction.

Tyrice Knight | LB | 77.5

Mid-round linebacker Tyrice Knight was outstanding in his first start at off-ball linebacker since the team surprisingly released Tyrel Dodson. Knight accumulated 10 tackles and one quarterback hit. Seattle’s new LB duo helped hold superstar running back Christian McCaffrey to 79 rushing yards and a pedestrian 4.2 yards per carry.

Coby Bryant | S | 70.4

Coby Bryant has done an admirable job stepping up while the Seahawks have navigated some injuries in the secondary. Bryant played all 63 defensive snaps against the 49ers, remaining on the field for every defensive snap. The former Cincinnati standout totaled five tackles and allowed just one reception for a five-yard gain.

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Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon deserves more pass-rushing opportunities

Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon deserves more pass-rushing opportunities

Seattle Seahawks sophomore cornerback Devon Witherspoon displayed outstanding blitzing abilities as a rookie in 2023. The No. 5 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft recorded three sacks and 10 pressures in 14 appearances as an instant contributor. Witherspoon’s versatile ability to rush the passer landed him a Pro Bowl appearance in his first season.

Head coach Mike Macdonald and defensive coordinator Aden Durde brought a new scheme to the Seahawks this year. Witherspoon has been a workhorse for the Seahawks in the defensive backfield, but his pass-rushing opportunities have been limited to date. As a result, Witherspoon hasn’t recorded his first sack of 2024 yet. That should change soon, with Macdonald and Durde affording him more opportunities to blitz opposing backfields.

The Seahawks have posted a 25th-best 21 sacks through nine games. The bye week is muddying those numbers a bit, but Seattle’s pass rush hasn’t been effective enough given its personnel. General manager John Schneider has invested premium resources into a front four that features Boye Mafe, Derick Hall, Dre’Mont Jones, Leonard Williams, and Byron Murphy II on any given down.

Macdonald and Durde spent portions of the bye week analyzing all departments. The pass rush is one that requires answers with room for improvement. Perhaps utilizing Witherspoon as a blitzer with increased frequency could solve that woe.

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Watch Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon make heads-up play vs. Falcons

Watch Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon make heads-up play vs. Falcons

The Seattle Seahawks put forth a dominant performance in Sunday’s blowout Week 7 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Defensively, the Seahawks limited the Falcons to 14 points and 385 total yards. They also forced quarterback Kirk Cousins to commit three turnovers.

Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon was active as per usual. Witherspoon recorded six total tackles. Pro Football Focus credited him with allowing seven receptions on nine targets for 70 receiving yards. He hasn’t allowed a single touchdown this season.

A sophomore, Witherspoon is among the smartest ascending defensive backs in the league. On the Boye Mafe strip-sack that resulted in a Derick Hall scoop-and-score, Witherspoon can be seen sprinting down the field to block a Falcons offensive lineman to ensure Hall got into the end zone. His effort will have been recognized by Mike Macdonald and the Seahawks coaching staff.

Witherspoon has recorded 39 tackles and one pass breakup this season. A regular starter in the nickel, Witherspoon is also versatile enough to wear multiple hats for Macdonald’s complex defense. Pairing his talent with the amount of effort he displayed on Sunday’s defensive touchdown makes him an elite player and teammate.

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Seahawks name team captains for Week 3 vs. Dolphins

Seahawks name team captains for Week 3 vs. Dolphins

One of the big changes Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald made this season was to name weekly captains as opposed to having season-long captains. Pete Carroll previously had the locker room vote on captains that remained in place throughout the entire campaign. Macdonald’s approach is allowing various players to serve as captains for special games.

As such, the Seahawks named their three captains for Sunday’s Week 3 clash at Lumen Field versus the Miami Dolphins. They are cornerback Devon Witherspoon, kicker Jason Myers, and center Connor Williams.

https://twitter.com/Seahawks/status/1837190911723458794

Williams is a no brainer. He spent the previous two campaigns (2022-23) with the Dolphins after signing a two-year contract worth $14 million during the 2022 free agency period. The Dolphins didn’t show interest in retaining his services after he suffered a season-ending ACL injury in Week 14 last year. This is precisely why coach Macdonald prefers the weekly captains approach. It offers Williams an opportunity to serve as a captain versus a familiar opponent.

Witherspoon is an emerging superstar. His captaincy selection is no surprise, particularly given that he hails from Pensacola, Florida. Witherspoon has totaled 14 tackles and one pass breakup so far this season.

Myers is among the longest-tenured Seahawks, having first joined the franchise in 2019. He’s a perfect five-of-five on field goal attempts this season with a long of 50. He’s also converted 100% of his extra point opportunities. Myers, a two-time Pro Bowler and 2022 NFL scoring leader, is an established veteran in Macdonald’s locker room.

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3 Bold predictions for Seahawks defense vs. Dolphins in Week 3

3 Bold predictions for Seahawks defense vs. Dolphins in Week 3

The Seattle Seahawks will be playing against a backup quarterback on Sunday. The Miami Dolphins will be without Tua Tagovailoa versus Seattle in Week 3. Tagovailoa is dealing with another scary-looking concussion and will be replaced in the lineup by Skylar Thompson.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald must be relishing his opportunity to prepare for an inexperienced quarterback like Thompson. This offers Macdonald’s unit an advantage. We’ve compiled three bold predictions for the defense on Sunday.

Seahawks force 3 total turnovers

Thompson has struggled with protecting the football throughout his short career. The seventh-round quarterback out of Kansas State committed seven total turnovers in eight appearances in 2022, the last time he saw extended action. The Seahawks have forced three turnovers in two contests, and will be looking to add to their takeaway total on Sunday.

Devon Witherspoon gets his first interception of 2024

Cornerback Riq Woolen and safety Julian Love have the Seahawks’ only interceptions this season. Superstar corner Devon Witherspoon picked off just one pass as a rookie in 2023, and is looking to create more turnovers as a sophomore. Witherspoon will be lurking underneath the coverage on Sunday and trying to bait Thompson into a mistake.

Seahawks sack Thompson 4+ times

The Seahawks have recorded a league-average five sacks thus far. Breakout edge defender Boye Mafe leads the defense with two quarterback takedowns. Expect Macdonald to field an aggressive defensive front against Thompson, who has struggled with holding onto the football in the past. The Seahawks could rack up four-or-more sacks.

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Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald didn’t agree with 2nd Devon Witherspoon DPI call

Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald didn’t agree with 2nd Devon Witherspoon DPI call

The Seattle Seahawks pass defense played a quality game in Sunday’s 23-20 Week 2 overtime victory over the New England Patriots. Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett was limited to just 15 completions and 125 net passing yards. Mike Macdonald’s defense currently owns the league’s second-ranked passing unit as a result, one that’s allowing just 128.5 air yards per game through two completed weeks.

That doesn’t necessarily mean it was perfect. Cornerback Devon Witherspoon was whistled for two defensive pass interference penalties. Macdonald would like further clarification from the league on the second call. The first one wasn’t exactly a cut-and-dry call either, but Macdonald took particular issue with the second whistled infraction, admitting the first one wasn’t a “smart decision” by Witherspoon.

“Want some more clarification,” Macdonald said on Monday about Witherspoon’s second DPI call.”Want to try to make sure we’re coaching the right things on that front. I chalked that one up to the cost of doing business,” Macdonald concluded, in a clip that’s been splayed with the actual play by The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar.

https://twitter.com/MikeDugar/status/1835906371063083048

They were the first two penalties of Witherspoon’s sophomore season after he played a clean game in the Week 1 victory over the Denver Broncos. Witherspoon was whistled for five penalties as a rookie in 2023, including just one multi-penalty contest. The former Illinois standout has already matched that lowlight.

Macdonald is correct to request clarification from the league. Once he and his staff receive clarity on where Witherspoon went wrong in the eyes of the referees, they can coach and develop the correct technique in practice. That’s the type of thinking that should ensure the Seahawks aren’t overly penalized this season.

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Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen were force multipliers for Seahawks in Week 1 win

Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen were force multipliers for Seahawks in Week 1 win

The defense is expected to be a strength of the 2024 Seattle Seahawks team and that expectation was reality in Sunday’s 26-20 Week 1 victory over the Denver Broncos. First-year head coach Mike Macdonald is a defensive-minded leader that brought a creative scheme with him from Baltimore. Unsurprisingly, Macdonald’s defense gave Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix fits all afternoon long.

The Broncos gained just 231 yards of total offense and went 5-of-18 on third downs. The Broncos punted on eight occasions, were whistled for eight penalties overall, and committed three total turnovers.

Seahawks cornerbacks Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon were standout performers on defense. Pro Football Focus dropped a social media graphic that has Woolen and Witherspoon with a combined defensive grade of 90.1. Their combined passer rating allowed was just 14.6.

Breaking down their individual performances, Woolen allowed two receptions on six targets for just 17 yards en route to an elite coverage grade of 85.2. Woolen recorded his first interception of the season on an ill-advised attempt by Nix. The former fifth-round selection allowed 8.5 yards per catch and a passer rating of 2.8.

Witherspoon was equally as impressive. The former Illinois standout forfeited three catches on six targets for 17 yards, a minuscule 5.7 yards per reception. Witherspoon allowed a passer rating of 56.3 and earned himself a top-notch coverage grade of 80.1.

Woolen and Witherspoon will relish their opportunities against the New England Patriots in Week 2. With all due respect, Jacoby Brissett is a lower-level starting quarterback, and his pass-catching corps is young and inexperienced. Seattle’s starting cornerbacks should continue thriving.

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Devon Witherspoon is emerging as a leader for Seahawks

Devon Witherspoon is emerging as a leader for Seahawks

As Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald prepares to officially begin his tenure as the organization’s lead man this Sunday, identifying who his leaders in the locker room are is crucial to his acclimation process. It’s often your best players that shoulder the most responsibility. As the Seahawks went searching for a successor to Bobby Wagner’s leadership this offseason, a candidate quickly emerged in sophomore cornerback Devon Witherspoon.

“He’s realizing he has influence, and the guys listen to him,” Macdonald recently told Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic. “He’s [Witherspoon] a guy we hope that grows into a legendary Seahawks player for a long time around here that people look to.”

The Seahawks do not possess many tenured players on Macdonald’s defense following Wager’s second departure. Both off-ball linebackers are first-year starters acquired through free agency. Witherspoon, who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, is taking charge.

Witherspoon was electric throughout his first season. The former Fighting Illini standout recorded 79 tackles, 16 pass breakups, three sacks, and one interception throughout the 2023 season. Witherspoon is expected to improve his numbers this year as he prepares to play a versatile role in Macdonald’s creative defense, one that does an excellent job simulating pressure.

The Seahawks possess legitimate postseason aspirations this season. Having appropriate leaders in place to help navigate the locker room through difficult stretches is key to meeting expectations. It’s terrific news for Macdonald’s Seahawks that Witherspoon is growing into a leader.

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Seahawks cornerbacks snubbed in latest Madden 25 ratings

Seahawks cornerbacks snubbed in latest Madden 25 ratings

EA Sports is releasing Madden 25 later this August. As per usual, hype for the game would not be complete without revealing player ratings at every position group. As it turns out, Madden’s decision makers aren’t big fans of the cornerbacks on the Seattle Seahawks.

Both Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon were snubbed for cornerback rankings, with neither player apparently cracking the top 18 overall players at the position.

Witherspoon was outstanding for the Seahawks as a rookie in 2023. The former Illinois standout recorded 79 tackles and one interception, which he returned for a 97-yard pick-six touchdown. Witherspoon was named to the Pro Bowl and the PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team for his efforts.

Pro Football Focus credited Witherspoon with allowing just 39 receptions all season long on 68 targets. His PFF coverage grade was a stellar 79.7. Witherspoon allowed an opposing passer rating of just 87.6 and allowed 10.2 yards per catch. He should have cracked the top 15 cornerback rankings.

Woolen was also snubbed. He was arguably better as a rookie in 2022 when he was the league’s co-interceptions leader and a Pro Bowler in his debut season, but the former fifth-rounder still played quality football as a sophomore this past season. Woolen totaled 11 pass breakups and had a PFF coverage grade of 75.0.

Hopefully Witherspoon and Woolen use their snubs as motivation.

3 Nickel CB options if Devon Witherspoon plays boundary corner

3 Nickel CB options if Devon Witherspoon plays boundary corner

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon was a dynamic nickel cover-man as a rookie last season. The No. 5 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft played 421 of his defensive snaps in the slot, per Pro Football Focus.

The Seahawks have a new coaching staff and that means defensive-minded head coach Mike Macdonald is experimenting with different looks. Witherspoon spent Tuesday’s practice earlier this week primarily playing as a boundary cornerback opposite Riq Woolen, according to local media members in attendance. That opens up a possibility for other players to rotate into the lineup as a nickel corner.

Macdonald’s defense is going to be multiple and complex. Witherespoon will move around and take advantage of matchups. We’ve identified three Seahawks defenders that could play the nickel more frequently this season.

Artie Burns

Artie Burns played 202 snaps as a nickel corner last season. Macdonald and defensive coordinator Aden Durde clearly appreciate Burns’ ability to play that role, as he was the main beneficiary of Witherspoon’s foray to the boundary at practice earlier this week. The ninth-year versatile pro figures to be a chess-piece for Macdonald’s defense this season.

D.J. James

One of the concerns on rookie cornerback D.J. James coming out of Auburn was that he lacked the long-speed and frame (175 pounds at the NFL combine) required to consistently play the boundary. That likely makes James a nickel corner in the NFL. The Seahawks pounced on his availability with a sixth-round selection. He likely won’t play a big role this season, but does offer Macdonald another viable and versatile option.

Coby Bryant

Coby Bryant has played safety and nickel corner for the Seahawks. A toe injury cost him large portions of his 2023 campaign, but when on the field, he spent the majority of his snaps as a slot corner. Bryant hasn’t met his fourth-round expectations, but he’ll continue playing multiple positions in the defensive backfield as necessary.