Cornerback Riq Woolen leaving Seahawks to play for Eagles
SEATTLE – Riq Woolen’s wait for a new team ended Tuesday afternoon when he agreed to a one-year deal reported as worth up to $15 million with the Philadelphia Eagles, as reported by the NFL Network and ESPN.
And with it ended one of the more mercurial careers in recent Seahawks history as Woolen went from fifth-round success story who ended up in the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2022 to seeing his role reduced and the subject of trade rumors last season.
Woolen becomes the fourth Seahawk free agent to agree to sign elsewhere since the negotiating period began Monday morning.
The other three — Kenneth Walker III (Kansas City), safety Coby Bryant (Chicago Bears) and rush end Boye Mafe (Cincinnati Bengals) — all agreed to new deals within the first four hours of the negotiating period beginning on Monday.
That Woolen was still available as of Tuesday afternoon compelled some to wonder if he wasn’t getting the offers he anticipated.
The reports of what he got indicated that, indeed, the market didn’t appear to be what he was probably hoping for.
The other three Seahawks to depart all got three-year deals, as did two the Seahawks kept — cornerback Josh Jobe and receiver Rashid Shaheed.
Woolen getting a one-year deal means he can be back on the market a year from now and will be spending the 2026 season trying to prove to the Eagles — and other potentially interested teams — that he’s worth more.
That may make sense given that he had an up-and-down Seahawks career since arriving as the 153rd pick of the draft in 2022.
Woolen had six interceptions in 2022 to tie for the NFL lead in a season when the 6-foot-4, 210-pounder appeared to show that the draft-day comparisons to Richard Sherman, made because of their shared size and playing style, might come true on the field.
He had just six combined interceptions his final three seasons as a Seahawk when every good play seemed countered by an ill-timed penalty or mistimed leap on a ball.
He was demoted to a rotational role early in the 2025 season, sharing snaps with Josh Jobe at one cornerback spot opposite Devon Witherspoon with Jobe given the nod as the starter for each game, and made available by the Seahawks at the trade deadline last fall.
Still, there were flashes of greatness — he allowed the third-lowest passer rating on “deep targets” this season, according to Next Gen Stats, at 16.3 behind only Patrick Surtain of Denver and Jobe. Woolen also allowed the third-fewest yards per target at 5.0.
Woolen also played well down the stretch, allowing just seven yards on three receptions in a key three-game span of wins against the Colts, Rams and Carolina in December.
But a taunting penalty against the Rams in the NFC title game that negated a third-down stop and led to a touchdown on the next play — when Woolen was beaten in man coverage by Puka Nacua — dredged up all the bad memories of previous missteps and seemed to many as a last straw.
The deal that Woolen signed with the Eagles seems to indicate the Seahawks didn’t make much of an effort — if they made any at all — to keep him even if both coach Mike Macdonald and general manager John Schneider said in interviews after the season that they were proud of the way Woolen handled his change of role and rebounded from the early struggles.
Pro Football Focus rated Woolen as the third-best cornerback available behind two players who have already agreed to big deals — Jamel Dean, who agreed to a three-year, $36.75 million contract with the Steelers; and Jaylen Watson, who agreed to a three-year deal worth up to $51 million with the Rams.
Woolen was likely hoping for at least a similar deal. Instead, he’ll again be playing for his future in 2026.
Still, it appears he’ll have a chance to make a major statement with the Eagles. He is the first external free agent to agree to a deal with the Eagles this year and he is expected to move into a starting cornerback role, replacing free agent Adoree’ Jackson and joining Cooper DeJean and Quinton Mitchell in Philly’s cornerback rotation.
He’ll also reunite in Philly with Clint Hurtt, who was Seattle’s defensive coordinator during Woolen’s first two years with the Seahawks and is now the defensive line coach of the Eagles.
Woolen relive at least some of his past as the Seahawks are scheduled to play a game in Philly next season.
The Seahawks had seemed to foreshadow for more than a year that the 2025 season might be the last for Woolen in Seattle. They weren’t thought to have approached him about an extension a year ago when he first became eligible, and were willing to trade him at midseason.
The re-signing of Jobe on Monday — he officially signed his contract on Tuesday — solidified the cornerback spot. Jobe will ascend to an every-snap role opposite Devon Witherspoon, who could get a long-term extension at some point before the 2026 season that could make him among the highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL.
The Seahawks also have third-year cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett ready to take on a larger role, if needed.
“Yeah, Nehemiah has grown a lot,’” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said at the NFL scouting combine last month. “And he’s gonna have a great opportunity to play great football for us and carved self out of great role. So let’s keep rolling. You know, just keep attacking it. Keep growing, keep let’s keep coaching the heck out of them. You know, keep training and like, trust all those things we’re gonna are gonna come together. I’m excited about (Pritchett).”
The Seahawks may look to sign a veteran to add depth or draft a cornerback as the only other corner on the roster is Tyler Hall, who spent last season on the practice squad and played in only one game on special teams. They did not re-sign veterans Shaquill Griffin or Shemar Jean-Charles, who were also on the practice squad in 2026.
Two days after the Seahawks won the Super Bowl, Woolen and the rest of the team cleaned out their lockers at the VMAC in Renton. As Woolen did, he said he didn’t know what the future held while seeming to acknowledge it likely wouldn’t include staying in Seattle.
“Just been still soaking in this moment with this team and whatever God has for me, he has for me,” Woolen said. “His plan has never failed me. His plan has kept me here and to be able to be in the position I’m in here now, so I just try to trust his plan and just do my end on my plan, as well.”