Reigning Super Bowl Champion Cornerback Riq Woolen Signs a 1-year Deal with Philadelphia Eagles
Former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen has a new home as he has signed with the Philadelphia Eagles on a 1-year deal worth up to $15M.
This is essentially a prove-it deal for him, and Philadelphia gets a strong asset at the opposite corner of All-Pro Quinyon Mitchell, while being able to keep All-Pro Cooper DeJean in the slot. This is a strong move for a Philly team that has lost pieces to that defense so far this offseason in Nakobe Dean (Raiders), Reed Blankenship (Texans), and Jaelan Phillips (Panthers). So this is a crafty way to retool that defense. Let’s dive into Woolen’s resume and the move itself.
Who is Riq Woolen
Woolen had an up-and-down career in Seattle, where he had 12 interceptions and 53 PBUs in his career, but is coming off a season where he was one of the interesting parts of the Super Bowl Champion defense. He allowed his lowest amount of yards in his career, 348 yards on 39 completions when targeted. So he’s going from a Mike Macdonald defense to a Vic Fangio defense that will challenge him in different ways, but his speed and coverage skills at his 6’4” frame are going to be a huge bright spot for this Eagles defense in 2026.
What This Move Means for Eagles
This move is going to solidify the Eagles’ secondary at the corner spot that they didn’t have last season. I liked Adoree Jackson later in the season, but this was a definite upgrade from Jackson, especially at the speed element, as the former Seahawk is still only 26 years old at this point in his career. Philadelphia is also in an interesting situation regarding the defense retooling with this deal and all of the other deals that happened on Day One of the Legal Tampering period, with Dean, Blankenship, and Phillips all leaving Philadelphia on Day 1.
Philadelphia has some more money left to get a replacement for Phillips and Blankenship if they desire to, but adding Woolen on a 1-year deal is a great start to the retooling of a dominant defense in 2025, hopefully into another finishing plays defense in 2026, with interceptions and sacks.
