Eagles agree on one-year deal with ex-Seahawks CB Riq Woolen

The Eagles are making a short-term yet significant investment at their vacant outside cornerback spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell, agreeing to terms with former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen on a one-year deal, a league source confirmed to The Inquirer.

The deal is reportedly worth up to $15 million, according to ESPN.

Woolen, who turns 27 in May, was one of the top pending free-agent cornerbacks set to become available at the start of the new league year on Wednesday. He spent the last four seasons with the Super Bowl-winning Seahawks, the team that drafted him in the fifth round out of the University of Texas-San Antonio in 2022.

The outside cornerback started 53 games with the Seahawks from 2022-25, earning a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie after recording a league-high six interceptions. This past season on the Seahawks’ vaunted “Dark Side” defense, he started seven games toward the beginning of the season, then split time with former Eagle Josh Jobe down the stretch.

Woolen has atypical size for a cornerback at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, which ranks in the 99th and 91st percentile at the position, according to Mock Draftable. He possesses rare speed, too, running a 4.26-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine in 2022 (99th percentile).

Those traits have helped make him one of the top cornerbacks in man coverage in the league. Last season, Woolen allowed a 27.6% completion rate in man coverage, according to Next Gen Stats, which was the lowest by any defender to face a minimum of 20 targets in man since at least 2018. He allowed 73 yards on 29 targets (2.5 per target).

The Eagles deployed man on 24.5% of coverage snaps, a rate far greater than the Seattle Seahawks at 15.2%, according to Sharp Football Analysis.

Woolen seldom saw the ball thrown his way in 2025. According to Next Gen Stats, he was targeted on 11.7% of his coverage snaps, the fifth-lowest rate among outside cornerbacks with at least 250 snaps in coverage.

The Eagles’ staff has some firsthand experience with Woolen. Defensive line coach Clint Hurtt was his defensive coordinator with the Seahawks from 2022-23.

By adding Woolen, the Eagles fill a need in their secondary, as former starting outside cornerback Adoree’ Jackson was set to become a free agent. Last season, Cooper DeJean played outside cornerback in base defense, then moved to the slot in nickel packages with Jackson on the outside. Now, with Woolen in the equation, DeJean could play nickel full-time, or even slot in at safety in base, a role Vic Fangio had tinkered with last summer.

The Eagles have other needs to address on the back end, most notably a starting safety after Reed Blankenship reportedly agreed to a three-year, $24.75 million deal with the Houston Texans. The defense also has a need at edge rusher, with Jaelan Phillips reportedly departing for the Carolina Panthers on a four-year, $120 million contract.

Woolen is the Eagles’ first free-agent addition during the negotiating period, which began Monday. So far, the period has been mostly characterized by departures, as Blankenship, Phillips, Nakobe Dean (Las Vegas Raiders), and Jahan Dotson (Atlanta Falcons) all reportedly moved on to other teams.