RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesPeople who look only at statistics on screens ask why the Seahawks are about to pay Devon Witherspoon megabucks.
Those folks only see Witherspoon’s one interception last season, his two interceptions over his first three league seasons with Seattle. They wonder how the he’s made the Pro Bowl in all of his league seasons. They wonder aloud why his team is working to finalize a contract extension with Witherspoon that could make him among the NFL’s highest-paid cornerbacks, if not the highest-paid.
The guys who play the game and the position, guys like veteran Noah Igbinoghene, know better.
The eighth-year pro was a Miami Dolphins first-round draft pick in 2020. Last season, his second was the Washington Commanders, Igbinoghene was in a team meeting studying film of another team his Commanders were about to play that week. That opponent on film was playing the Seahawks in an early-season game.
Though Igbinoghene wasn’t studying Seattle’s team that week, one Seahawk stood out to him, for his enthusiasm and effort shutting down his third of the field — plus his teammates’ areas, too.
“Devon Witherspoon,” Igbinoghene told The News Tribune last week.
“I saw one play on film, and he blitzed — and then just took off and tackled the tight end, like, on the opposite side of the field. And I remember watching that when we were going into meetings, and I literally came out of that meeting and was like, ‘Man, I need to play like that.’
“There was so much inspiration. So all respect to him.”
Washington let Igbinoghene’s contract end after last season. Seattle signed him this spring, for needed veteran depth and versatility to play inside at nickel and outside at cornerback behind Witherspoon.
Has Igbinoghene told that film story to Witherspoon now that they are teammates in this Seahawks training camp?
“I haven’t even told him that, honestly,” Igbinoghene said, laughing.
“I have so much respect for that dude. And he literally changed the way I saw how I needed to play, because I saw him and I was like, ‘Man, I need to run to the ball like that! I need to change the way how my effort is.’
“And it wasn’t like I wasn’t even comparing myself with him. It was just: ‘Man, that’s how you’re supposed to play this thing.’
“That’s why he has all the success he has. So I have so much respect for him.”
That’s an eighth-year NFL veteran, talking about a fourth-year pro with reverence.
THAT’S why the Seahawks are trying to finalize a new contract to keep Witherspoon in Seattle for as long as they can see. It likely will end up worth more than $31 million per year to make Witherspoon the league’s highest-paid cornerback.
Noah Igbinoghene’s Olympic genes
Igbinoghene is impressing Seahawks defensive-guru head coach Mike Macdonald and defensive coordinator Aden Durde with how quickly he’s grasping Macdonald’s tricky defense of changes and multiple positions guys play. Igbinoghene had been excelling through this training camp’s first 10 practices from the inside, slot nickel cornerback spot on the second defense, backing up Witherspoon.
Tuesday and Wednesday he got some more time in 11-on-11 scrimmaging with the starting defense. He was inside at nickel while Witherspoon took a series outside at cornerback and usual fifth defensive back Nehemiah Pritchett went to the sideline Tuesday, and when Witherspoon got scrimmages off Wednesday. Igbinoghene also joined the starters when Macdonald was in dime, with six defensive backs.
On the second-team defense at nickel Tuesday, Igbinoghene was so quick blitzing off the offense’s left edge he got inside the wing back who was supposed to block him on the play, wide receiver Montorie Foster. Igbinoghene ruined the inside run for a tackle in the backfield.
“He’s shown up a lot in early-down football, coming up and hitting the run, (plus) doing some great things in man coverage,” Durde said. “I think he’s shown some great things and it’s exciting to see moving on.”
Early in practices, special-teams coach Jay Harbaugh has Igbinoghene back deep with wide receiver Tory Horton as kickoff returners. They have alternated with wide receivers Cody White and Ricky White III, plus rookie running back Jadarian Price. Price, Seattle’s first-round draft choice this spring , returned kickoffs at a national-leader level for Notre Dame through last college season.
His versatility has Igbinoghene on track to make the Seahawks’ roster, and add experience to their young secondary.
That figures. Track has been a part of his life since he was born.
His mother Faith (Idehen) ran for the University of Alabama. She was a bronze medalist in the 4x100-meter relay team for her native Nigeria at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
His father Festus was a Southeastern Conference-champion track athlete at Mississippi State. He was a long jumper and triple jumper for his native Nigeria at the 1996 Atlanta Games. He competed against Carl Lewis, who was the gold medalist in the long jump that Olympics.
“My parents, they migrated over here, both of them,” Noah, 26, said. “Both of them, they were doing nursing school at the same time as doing track, as well. My sister (Hope) is in nursing school now, and she tells me how hard it is, and she’s not doing track right now.
“So, you know, all kudos to my mom. I can’t even believe how she did it, but that just shows you where I come from and what’s inside of us and this bloodline.”
He was a wide receiver, initially at Auburn, where his sister also ran track. The Tigers coaches changed him from offense to cornerback and defense following his first college season. He starred in two seasons at cornerback, and in track. He left Auburn after his junior football season to enter the NFL. The Dolphins took him to be their new cornerback with the 30th pick in the 2020 draft, even though he had only two years of experience at the position.
“Because I have those are my parents, and what they did,” he said, “it’s the reason I’m here now.”
Them, and Dan Quin...
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