Eagles cornerback Riq Woolen says he’s staying focused amid trade rumors
Woolen noted that this is not the first time he's been subject to trade deadline rumors.
It was always possible that Riq Woolen’s stint as an Eagle might be short.
He signed a one-year, $12 million contract with the team in March, plus he plays cornerback, a position occupied by two talented players in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean who are still in the market for contract extensions.
But Woolen likely didn’t expect to be with them for just half a season.
Woolen, 27, is a prime trade deadline candidate for the Eagles, who are 2-5 through seven games. He’s found his way into trade rumors along with other Eagles on expiring contracts including defensive tackle Moro Ojomo, wide receiver Hollywood Brown and others. The noise has only amplified with the deadline less than two weeks away.
» READ MORE: Save or trade? Should the Eagles part with these 16 players?
Woolen downplayed these rumors this week, stating that they’re exactly that — rumors.
“You hear things, but nobody knows the truth,” Woolen said. “You guys on social media and whatever news outlet, y’all can say a million things, but y’all really wouldn’t know until you get a talk with the GM and you get a talk with your coach.
“Other than that, you can see me going to any team, or you can hear anything about me going to a team, but to me, that doesn’t matter just because I’m here every day working with these guys.”
This isn’t Woolen’s first go-round in the rumor mill. His former team, the Seahawks, previously dangled him in trade talks, with the Eagles even nearly acquiring him, as defensive coordinator Vic Fangio revealed in May.
Woolen said he’s thankful for these past experiences as they are helping him stay grounded during a distracting time of the season.
“Even when I was in Seattle last year and my name came up in trade reports, I still had to come to work every day because my brothers need me,” Woolen said. “They don’t need my mind to be anywhere else. That’s my job here.”
“Me being in Philly, I work my butt off with these guys all offseason, and so I’m going to ride with these guys throughout the season. I mean, whether we’ll be undefeated or we don’t win a game, I work my butt off with them. They work hard as hell too, so I’m going to deal with my feet up and let the chips fall where they may be, but I’m right here in Philly and that’s the place I want to be.”
Woolen and the Eagles struggled to defend the pass on Monday night in an overall lackluster effort that Fangio took the blame for on Wednesday.
Woolen conceded four catches on six targets for 76 yards and a touchdown, per Pro Football Focus, and also had two pass breakups. Woolen was flagged for holding CeeDee Lamb in the third quarter. Fangio defended the corner.
“We had no rush and the guy runs a deep in and then pivots back out, tough duty,” Fangio said.
How were we so wrong? Heading into the season, the Eagles’ defense was supposed to be their strength. After Monday’s throttling by the Cowboys, the group reached a new low, especially on the defensive line, where major offseason investments and commitments were made. Why has a unit that showed promise in training camp failed to live up to expectations? And how will the Eagles’ five-game losing streak influence the organization’s approach to the NFL’s impending trade deadline? The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and David Murphy tackle these topics and more the day after the Eagles’ 38-21 defeat to Dallas. Listen here.
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