Riq Woolen, Seahawks
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Seattle Seahawks defensive back Riq Woolen reacting in the middle of an NFL game against the Carolina Panthers.
The New York Jets desperately need help in the secondary.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen listed the Jets as the best team fit for Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen ahead of free agency.
“The Jets allowed 57 completions of 20 or more yards in 2025, seventh most in the league. Adding Woolen, a 6-foot-5 corner with high-end physical tools and speed, fits under coach Aaron Glenn’s defense. This unit wants to play man coverage, and Woolen has 12 interceptions and 36 pass breakups in his four-year career in Seattle. I also like the Commanders as a fit,” Bowen wrote.
A Talented Piece of Clay
The Seahawks list Woolen on their official roster sheet at 6-foot-4 and weighing 210 pounds.
If you could build an NFL defensive back on a lab table, it would probably look like Woolen.
The former UTSA product entered the league as the No. 153 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft.
He has appeared in 64 games and has made 53 starts. With those opportunities, Woolen has collected 12 interceptions, 53 pass deflections, a forced fumble, five fumble recoveries, and 203 total tackles.
Some Potential Red Flags Worth Noting
According to Spotrac’s calculated market value, Woolen could command a one-year $8.2 million contract in free agency.
That $8.2 million annual salary would place Woolen No. 33 among the highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL, per Over The Cap.
Woolen is 26 and will turn 27 before the start of the 2026 season. Why would a former Pro Bowl corner, coming off his rookie contract with his measurables, sign for such a small projected figure?
There are a few question marks on the resume worth noting.
Woolen is coming off a serious in which he participated in only 78% of the snaps. That is a career low for the talented cornerback. He appeared in 16 regular-season games, but only started in seven of them.
There have been moments during his career when he was benched for either poor performance or disciplinary reasons.
“It’s a play-to-play mentality,” head coach Mike Macdonald explained in December of 2024 via ESPN. “When he’s locked in, I think he’s as good as it gets. And then when he’s not as locked in, then that’s when some technique errors show up. But it has nothing to do with his ability. It’s all about just the approach pre-snap.”
Insider Highlights Underrated Need for the Jets
Longtime former NFL scout and current NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah highlighted just how big a need corner is for the Jets this offseason.
“I mean, you look at corner as an area that they obviously have to address here. I think that has got to be one of those first four picks,” Jeremiah said on the “Move The Sticks” podcast.
Paul Andrew Esden Jr
Daniel Jeremiah said the cornerback spot is a position the #Jets ‘obviously’ have to address:
‘I think that’s got to be one of those first four picks.’
NYJ’s first four picks: 2, 16, 33, & 44 overall.
🎥 @MoveTheSticks #JetUp
LINK: t.co/TzzPD7QBgJ
The Jets’ first four picks all come within the first two rounds of the 2026 NFL draft. They own the No. 2, No. 16, No. 33, and No. 44 overall picks.
Head coach Aaron Glenn played the cornerback position for 15 years at the NFL level. If he gets his hands on a talented guy like Woolen, perhaps he can get the best out of him in 2026.