Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon will face the toughest task of his career when covering Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase this Sunday. DK Metcalf is confident his young teammate will get the job done.
Via James Rapien of All Bengals, Metcalf predicted Witherspoon will succeed against Chase after praising the Bengals star.
“He’s just a great receiver. I tip my hat off to him with what he’s done in the first three years of the league,” Metcalf said. “It’ll be fun to watch on Sunday, but I think Spoon will get the best of him.
“I think Spoon (Devon Witherspoon) will get the best of him.” – D.K. Metcalf on Ja’Marr Chase. Here’s the full clip⬇️ pic.twitter.com/SWAYV6RpQs
— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) October 12, 2023
Per Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Chase laughed when informed of Metcalf’s comments. However, he took no issue with his peer’s proclamation.
“He ain’t doing nothing but just praising his teammate, though. That’s what he’s supposed to do,” Chase said. “At the end of the day, it’s about game-time reps and game-time decisions. He’s going to get the opportunity to get his matchup, and we’ll see who wins that matchup.”
Ja’Marr Chase’s response to DK Metcalf’s comments about Devon Witherspoon “getting the best of him on Sunday #Bengals pic.twitter.com/Z7WJjDrUwL
— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) October 12, 2023
Two years after the Bengals drafted Chase with the No. 5 pick, the Seahawks selected Witherspoon in the same slot. He’s also looked like a worthy investment early in his career.
The 22-year-old recorded two sacks and returned an interception for a 97-yard touchdown in Seattle’s Week 4 win over the New York Giants. Per Pro Football Focus, Witherspoon has allowed just one catch on 10 targets in single coverage.
However, Witherspoon has yet to face an opponent on Chase’s level. After a quiet start for his lofty standards, the Pro Bowler shredded the Arizona Cardinals for 15 catches, 192 yards, and three touchdowns last Sunday.
The former LSU star is averaging an eye-popping 87.6 receiving yards per game during his career, so containing Chase won’t be an easy task for Witherspoon.