After meeting a legend, ‘rare guy’ Riq Woolen is even more fired up about being an Eagle

Riq Woolen stopped in his tracks. Following Thursday’s practice, the newest Eagles defensive back was sprinting off the field when he was waved down by one of his all-time favorite players: Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins.

Woolen — who is the second tallest cornerback in the league — was enamored by the Eagles legend’s build at 52 years old.

“He’s big as hell,” Woolen said with a laugh. “I didn’t expect him to be that big, bro.”

People inside the building have been saying similar things about Woolen since he signed with the Eagles. Woolen, 27, is not your typical corner. Whereas other defensive backs stand at an average height of 5-foot-11 according to Joker Mag, Woolen has an impressive 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame. This physical advantage made him a Pro Bowler in 2022 and a key cog in the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run last season.

These traits are the reason why general manager Howie Roseman handed him a one-year deal worth up to $15 million in March. With Woolen, Quinyon Mitchell, and Cooper DeJean in the defensive backfield, the Eagles now have three Pro Bowl cornerbacks for the first time in team history.

So, how are things going with this potentially dominant trio so far?

“It’s pretty cool because it’s just learning how to fit in with these guys,” Woolen said Thursday. “I know my personality, I get along well with everybody. So just being able to become close with these guys, that’s all I really care about.

“I’ve got to be the best version of myself, and for me to do that, I’ve got to be comfortable with them, and they’ve got to be comfortable with me, and they’ve got to get to know me, and I’ve got to know them.”

Woolen has had an excellent start to his NFL career, collecting Super Bowl hardware and 12 total interceptions. He could have signed with plenty of teams in free agency, but he said team culture brought him to the Eagles.

“Honestly, just the culture here is just an amazing culture,” Woolen said. “They preach to us we got to work hard. It’s a hard working team. Everybody in this organization works hard. So just being able to be coached by them, I feel like it’s going to help me as a player and it’s going to push me to be a great person.”

It might not be a long-term marriage. The Eagles still need to pay Mitchell and DeJean, so Woolen could possibly serve as a one-year mercenary. But if he can replicate his elite production from Seattle with the Eagles, Roseman certainly won’t complain. Since his rookie season, Woolen has limited quarterbacks to a 54.2 completion percentage, which ranks 14th of the 139 corners (with at least 100 targets). He recorded his fourth consecutive season with 10-plus passes defended last year.

Woolen’s new defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio, is thrilled about what he can do in the Eagles’ defense.

“Well, he’s a rare guy in that you don’t see many corners in the league that are 6-foot-4,” Fangio said in May. “You don’t see many that are 6-foot-2 or even 6-foot-1 and there’s a reason for that. It’s hard to find guys at those heights that can move and mirror receivers that are hard to cover. He can do that for a guy his height. He can get in and out of breaks. He obviously has good downfield speed and his length is more of an asset than a detriment in his case.

“I’m excited to have him. He’s been here since we started the offseason. Seems to be a great guy. He’s into being here and really looking forward to working with him.”