Thirteen months removed from their Super Bowl 59 victory, the Philadelphia Eagles are tapping a Seattle Seahawk to fill a hole on defense.
Philadelphia is signing cornerback Riq Woolen to a one-year deal in NFL free agency, according to multiple reports. The one-year deal is worth $15 million, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler.
Woolen is entering his age-27 season and is changing to another avian franchise after four years in Seattle. The Seahawks selected Woolen in the fifth round, No. 153 overall out of UT-San Antonio in the 2022 NFL Draft.
He had an immediate impact as a rookie and finished third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting that season behind Sauce Gardner and Aidan Hutchinson. He led the NFL in interceptions that year with six and returned one for a touchdown. He also added 16 passes defensed and made the Pro Bowl after starting all 17 regular-season games.
Woolen remained a starter on the outside in 2023 and 2024 before eventually losing out to Josh Jobe as the starter opposite Devon Witherspoon in 2025. Though he wasn’t a starter, Woolen regularly played at least 30 snaps on defense through the Seahawks’ run to a win in Super Bowl 60.
Here’s how he may fit in Philadelphia and a look at the Eagles’ cornerback depth chart with him in the building:
Riq Woolen’s fit with the Eagles
Woolen struggled at times in 2025 with penalties and big plays. He gave up six touchdowns in coverage, per Pro Football Focus (PFF) data, tied for a career-high. His quarterback rating when targeted (93.9) and penalties (11) were also career-worsts.
Woolen has been a frustrating player at times for Seahawks fans. He’s one of the longest and fastest cornerbacks in the NFL but those coverage lapses and penalties have come in big moments, notably in the NFC championship game. He was flagged for taunting after stopping the Los Angeles Rams on 3rd-and-12 at midfield. A play later with a fresh set of downs, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford found Puka Nacua for a touchdown.
Woolen can hang in press coverage with most opponents the Eagles will see on a weekly basis at wide receiver. He’s in a good environment as well. Philadelphia is more than set at the other cornerback spots with first-team All-Pros Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Like Witherspoon in Seattle, Mitchell typically follows the opponent’s No. 1 wide receiver. DeJean does enough from the slot to ease the pressure on Woolen on the other side. Philadelphia doesn’t necessarily need Woolen to be a Pro Bowler again. They just need a baseline level of consistency in a talented cornerback room.
Eagles CB depth chart
Here’s how the cornerback room looks with Woolen on board:
- Quinyon Mitchell
- Cooper DeJean
- Riq Woolen
- Kelee Ringo
- Michael Carter II
- Mac McWilliams
- Jakorian Bennett
Woolen would theoretically be taking over for free agent Adoree’ Jackson opposite Mitchell on the outside.
