By Bob Condotta Seattle Times
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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf can't hold onto a pass as he is hit by Seattle Seahawks safety Julian Love during the second quarter Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. (Jennifer Buchanan/Seattle Times)
RENTON – Who knows what the future holds for Riq Woolen with the Seattle Seahawks.
But when it comes to Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Woolen figures to continue to start at cornerback in a Seahawks secondary that will again be short-handed.
The Seahawks on Friday ruled out starting cornerback Devon Witherspoon (knee) and safety Julian Love (hamstring), meaning that for the fifth straight game Seattle will be without at least one projected starter or key rotational player in its secondary.
Seattle also ruled out defensive end Demarcus Lawrence (quad) and backup offensive lineman Josh Jones (ankle).
Everyone else is good to go, including rookie safety Nick Emmanwori, who has missed the last three games with a high ankle sprain.
Without Witherspoon, Woolen appears set to again start at one outside corner spot with Josh Jobe at the other and Derion Kendrick stepping into the nickel position.
“I’m excited to see him play,” coach Mike Macdonald said of Woolen. “He’s got a great opportunity.”
Jobe started ahead of Woolen in the base defense in last Thursday’s 23-20 win at Arizona, which led to speculation this week that Woolen’s role could be reduced even further.
That discussion came in the wake of an NFL Network report over the weekend that other teams are monitoring whether Woolen could be made available by the Seahawks as the Nov. 4 trade deadline looms.
But Witherspoon’s absence seems to assure Woolen again playing his regular amount of snaps; he has played 96.76% of snaps this season, third-most on the team.
Macdonald on Friday praised how Woolen responded this week in practice.
“It’s all about the process with Riq,” Macdonald said. “So, just been the same really with all of our guys. But that’s what we’re shooting for. He’s doing that right now. He’s doing it through the week.”
Woolen said he didn’t approach practice any differently this week than any other.
“Honestly, as long as I’m able to play that’s all I’m looking forward to,” he said. “The coaches trust in me to do what I’m supposed to do so I’ve just got to go out there and do the best with my opportunity.”
With Love out, Ty Okada figures to start at one safety spot alongside Coby Bryant. Love missed the Saints game with a hamstring injury and Macdonald said he injured it again late in the Cardinals game.
Okada played every snap of the 44-13 win over New Orleans in place of Love.
Emmanwori also figures to see significant time in a third-safety role having recovered from an injury suffered on the first series of the 49ers game on Sept. 7.
“Nick’s going to play in the game,” Macdonald said. “How he plays, how much, all that we’ll see how the game goes. We had a big plan for him the first week, sometimes you’ve got to make adjustments as it goes. But we’ve got an initial plan.”
With Lawrence out, third-year end Mike Morris figures to again get some snaps and the Seahawks could also make rookie Jared Ivey active. Ivey has played in just one game.
Macdonald said he didn’t think any of the injuries are serious enough to potentially warrant a stint on Injured Reserve, which would mean missing at least four games.
### Woolen trusting the process
Woolen’s trying season has included being called for a team-high six penalties, including three against Arizona. One was a facemask and two for defensive pass interference.
Woolen said the first one, in the third quarter on Arizona receiver Michael Wilson, came when he thought Wilson was going to run a dig and instead cut up the field. As Woolen tried to recover he grabbed Wilson’s hip. Woolen said he’d done the same on a play earlier in the game that resulted in an interception for Bryant and didn’t get called.
While Woolen didn’t seem to dispute that flag, he said he wasn’t sure he deserved the call on the second penalty he received, on a fourth-quarter pass to Xavier Weaver near the goal line.
Woolen said he simply turned around to find the ball in the air and made contact with Weaver as he did.
“It’s up to the ref at that point,” he said.
Macdonald said one point coaches are reinforcing with Woolen is to not let bad plays linger.
“Sometimes the outcome stinks and you have to take it on the chin and move on,” Macdonald said. “But you have to be honest with yourself of whether the process is right. So that’s what we’re focusing on with Riq. That’s what we’re focusing on with the rest of the guys.”
Woolen acknowledged he’s heard the discussion about his future but said he’s trying not to let it affect his preparation.
“It’s just human nature when you’ve got a lot of stuff going on, you start looking at other things,” he said. “But I’m fine. I still trust the process. I know that this is part of my process. I know that my journey is different from other guys and this is just one part of the journey, that it may or may not be going in my favor, but I’ve still got to have trust in myself, faith in myself and faith in God.”
### Emmanwori looking forward to restart
Emmanwori was injured when he burst over the right side of San Francisco’s line of scrimmage to tackle Christian McCaffrey for a loss of 2 on what was San Francisco’s fifth play of the game. The injury occurred when his ankle collided with the hand of Lawrence as the pile fell to the ground.
“Just an unfortunate thing that happened,” he said. “Like, first tackle is a TFL and end up being hurt on it. It’s kind of funny looking back on it but just unfortunate. Glad to move forward.”
Emmanwori went back on the field for a kickoff shortly after, saying he was trying to test the injury and see if he could still play. He said when he tried to cut he realized “I knew it was over with.”
Emmanwori, the 35th overall pick out of South Carolina, practiced enough last week that he was listed as doubtful heading into the game – giving at least some hope he could play.
But Emmanwori said all sides decided it was better to sit out the Arizona game and give him that much more time to get ready.
“It’s been tough sitting around,” said Emmanwori, who said he missed only one game in college. “But a lot of guys kept reminding me that it’s a long football season so ain’t no rush to get back. Just make sure you are good and healthy and ready to go and stay sharp.”
Emmanwori said he’s approaching the game as if it’s another first game in his NFL career.
“I think I deserve to get a restart,” he said. “So this is officially my second debut.”
Said Macdonald of Emmanwori: “I’m more excited for him, to go out and be able to go play a game. It’s not easy, the guy played literally every snap since he walked in the door, every practice is available, and then you get a setback in the first game. That’s not an easy mental thing to have to go through and then go through the whole rehab to come back and do it the way he does. I thought he’s handled himself really well. He stayed sharp mentally, and I know he’s itching for the opportunity, so I’m excited for him.”