Riq Woolen has a chance to make an early statement for the Eagles, and he’ll get that shot right away in Week 1 against the Washington Commanders.
The cornerback came to Philadelphia on a one-year, $12 million deal that can climb to $15 million with incentives, and that contract leaves plenty of room for a player trying to show he should have landed something bigger and longer. Woolen’s season starts with that mission in front of him: prove the Eagles - and the rest of the league - that he was worth more than the number on the page.
His track record from last year with Seattle gives both the promise and the questions. In 16 games with the Seahawks, Woolen finished with 41 tackles, one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit, 12 pass deflections and one interception. Pro Football Focus gave him a 61.2 overall grade, which ranked 61st out of 114 cornerbacks, while he allowed a passer rating of 78.9 and 8.5 yards per reception.
There were flashes, but there were also stretches that sent him to the bench. Then came the postseason, where he played well, made highlight plays and helped the Seahawks win the Super Bowl.
The Eagles saw enough during OTAs to get excited about what he could bring. Training camp started slowly, but Woolen finished on a stronger note, which left fans hopeful that the steady version of him is the one they’ll get once the games count.
At 6-foot-4, he gives Philadelphia’s secondary a rare kind of size, and that matters if he can hold up week after week against top receivers. The Eagles had hoped Kelee Ringo would grow into that kind of role last year, but it never happened. Woolen is now the player they’re counting on to fill it.
Sunday’s matchup should tell them something. The Commanders bring a receiver group that will test him, while Quinyon Mitchell is expected to handle Terry McLaurin, which would leave Woolen matched up with Stefon Diggs.
That’s no easy assignment, even with Woolen’s size advantage. The challenge will be keeping pace with Diggs’ route running and speed.
For Eagles fans, it’s the kind of opening-week test that can reveal a lot fast. If Woolen comes through against Washington, it would do plenty to establish him as the CB2 Philadelphia has been looking for since 2024.
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