Presented by

Devon Witherspoon Expected Back Soon & Other Seahawks Injury Updates

Injury updates from Seahawks coach Pete Carroll coming out of Sunday’s loss to the 49ers.

Dec 11, 2023 at 04:28 PM

John Boyle

Seahawks.com Senior Reporter

Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon is in his rookie season after being taken fifth overall by the Seahawks in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Seahawks lost rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon, one of their top defensive players, early in Sunday's loss to the 49ers, the result of a hip pointer injury.

The good news, however, is that Witherspoon isn't expected to be out long, and could very well be back for Monday's game against the Eagles, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said.

"It's a legitimate hip pointer, he took a knee in the hip, and that's what he's dealing with," Carroll said. "He was way better today than he was yesterday in terms of discomfort, so hopefully we'll make some good progress on that. We won't know until late in the week how he's doing though."

Later, when asked about Witherspoon in the context of the season he is having, Carroll added an even more optimistic update, saying, "He's had a fantastic start. I would expect he's going to make it back this week, and he'll be out there battling again."

The Seahawks also saw cornerback Artie Burns exit the game early due to injury, but that does not appear to be serious.

"He has an old knee that just got tweaked a little bit," Carroll said. "I think he's going to be OK it sounds like."

The Seahawks are also hoping to get cornerback Tre Brown back this week after he missed Sunday's game with a heel injury.

"He should be OK," Carroll said. "He tried to get it going in pregame, couldn't go. Couldn't quite get it. He was close. He'll have a really good chance this week."

As for quarterback Geno Smith, who missed the game with a groin injury, it's still too early in the week to know if he'll make it back, but Carroll noted that the extra time this week will be valuable.

"We'll see how he comes back," Carroll said. "These couple of days right here are just so valuable for him, getting all the treatment he gets, and then just the rest time. We don't practice again until Thursday, so we've got a break here."

1 / 40

2 / 40

Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon (31) during an NCAA football game against Connecticuton Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019 in East Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)

3 / 40

Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon (31) defends against Minnesota in the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, in Minneapolis. Minnesota won 40-17. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

4 / 40

Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon (31) in action during the first half of an NCAA college football game against the Rutgers on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in Piscataway, N.J. Illinois won 23 - 20. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

5 / 40

Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon (31) makes an interception in front of Rutgers wide receiver Bo Melton (18) during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in Piscataway, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

6 / 40

Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon (31) reacts after making an interception with Illinois defensive back Marquez Beason (3) during the second half of an NCAA college football game against the Rutgers, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in Piscataway, N.J. Illinois won 23 - 20. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

7 / 40

Illinois head coach Lovie Smith stands with Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon (31) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

8 / 40

Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon (31) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

9 / 40

Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon, left, tries to recover a fumble against Northwestern during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Evanston, Ill., Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

10 / 40

Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon steps in front of and breaks up a pass intended for Nebraska wide receiver Oliver Martin late in the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Aug. 28, 202, in Champaign, Ill. Illinois won 30-22. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

11 / 40

Illinois defensive back Kerby Joseph (25) intercepts a pass intended for Wisconsin wide receiver Kendric Pryor (3) as Devon Witherspoon also defends during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

12 / 40

Indiana wide receiver Cam Camper (6) is tackled by Illinois's Devon Witherspoon, left, during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

13 / 40

Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon (31) during an NCAA football game against the Indiana on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, in West Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)

14 / 40

Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon (31) during an NCAA football game against the Indiana on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, in West Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)

15 / 40

Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon breaks up a pass in the end zone intended for Virginia's Lavel Davis Jr., during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022, in Champaign, Ill. Illinois won 24-3. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

16 / 40

Wisconsin wide receiver Chimere Dike (13) goes up for a pass under coverage by Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon (31) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

17 / 40

Devon Witherspoon (31)

Illinois Fighting Illini Football vs. Michigan - 11/20/2022

David Craan/Illinois Athletics

18 / 40

NFL draft prospect Devon Witherspoon takes part in a Play Football clinic ahead of the NFL draft Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at Center High School in Kansas City, Mo. The draft will run from April 27-29. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

19 / 40

20 / 40

Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon arrives on the red carpet before the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 27, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)