Josh Jobe
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The Seattle Seahawks are tipped to replace free agents Josh Jobe and Riq Woolen with a physical 2026 NFL draft CB.
Maintaining the strength of the most dominant defense in the NFL will be the key to the Seattle Seahawks’ bid to repeat as Super Bowl champions, so replacing and upgrading free agent cornerbacks Josh Jobe and Riq Woolen is a must.
Fortunately, the 2026 NFL draft offers obvious help, in the form of “a physical cover man.” That’s the description given to Colton Hood by NFL.com Senior Editor Dan Parr, who has the Tennessee star going to the Seahawks with the final pick of the first round.
Parr believes Hood “should fit well in Seattle,” where general manager “John Schneider reloads at cornerback, with Riq Woolen and Josh Jobe among the Seahawks’ impending free agents.”
Entrusting a rookie to replace veterans is always a risk, but particularly when Woolen and Jobe became key role players in the Seahawks’ secondary. Jobe, who seemingly escaped punishment for a scuffle in Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots, enabled Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald and defensive coordinator Aden Durde to move versatile personnel around and keep the picture changing on the back end.
Josh Jobe Became Invaluable
Jobe’s ability to rough up wide receivers on the perimeter showed up in the biggest game. Particularly when he muscled Patriots wideout Kayshon Boutte on an early third down, per All 22 Films.
Being able to play on an island and win outside the numbers meant Jobe afforded the Seahawks enviable flexibility in their defensive backfield. Macdonald and Durde were able to shift rookie do-all safety Nick Emmanwori into the slot, while also having Pro Bowler Devon Witherspoon play nickel.
Moving the pieces around let the Seahawks jump inside routes and use a targeted approach against a team’s go-to receiver. Jobe was the underrated catalyst for all of the effective shaping across Seattle’s secondary because he elevated his game during his fourth season.
The former Philadelphia Eagles corner began the 2025 campaign in shutdown mode. Notably, during Week 2’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, when “Jobe allowed one catch for 7 yards on three targets as the nearest defender yesterday, with a pass defensed. Through two games: eight targets, two catches for 8 yards, an INT and another PD. That’s a passer rating allowed of 0.0,” per ESPN’s Brady Henderson, citing Next Gen Stats.
While Macdonald and Schneider may be open to moving on from Woolen, who found himself frequently penalized for costly mistakes, replacing Jobe wouldn’t be so easy.
The Seahawks would likely only consider doing so via the draft it if they are particularly enamoured with a cornerback in this rookie class.
Colton Hood a Good Fit for Seahawks
Perhaps Hood’s game will be enough to tempt the Seahawks into using their premium pick at cornerback. There’s a decent chance since “Hood’s bread and butter is defending in man coverage,” according to JT Ruhnke of AtoZ Sports, who also noted Hood is “aggressive from the snap and has the play strength to jam well in press-man.”
Those qualities are a fit for the type of matchup schemes the Seahawks play, when receivers are initially passed off in zone and then locked up in man coverage. Putting Hood’s scrappy play style into this system would hide the weak points of his game, like tracking the ball vertically, while letting his natural physicality instantly mesh with the characteristics of the ‘Dark Side’ defense.
Boosting talent and depth in an interchangeable secondary will be a sound draft strategy if the Seahawks lose Jobe in free agency.