Witherspoon signed his four-year rookie contract with the Seattle Seahawks, it was announced Friday. The fifth overall selection in April's draft was the last remaining pick who had yet to sign. The four-year, $31.86 million deal, which is fully guaranteed, includes a $20.17 million signing bonus. It also contains a fifth-year team option that is standard for first-round picks.
The contract parameters were all predetermined; the sticking point was with how the signing bonus would be paid. The Seahawks, like some other teams, defer portions of bigger bonuses to later dates for cash-flow purposes. Witherspoon wanted more of his bonus up front than what the team was offering.
Witherspoon has missed the first two practices of training camp but hasn't been subject to fines because he hasn't been under contract. After the first practice Wednesday, coach Pete Carroll gave brief answers to questions about Witherspoon's absence, saying he anticipated the cornerback to "be here very soon."
