PHILADELPHIA — Eagles cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean made an impression on the newest member of the defensive backfield, Riq Woolen.
As the Seattle Seahawks readied to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in early October, Woolen watched the Bucs’ tape from their game against the Eagles the previous week and was struck by how they stood out against a formidable pass attack.
“When I watched that game and I seen the way [Mitchell] and Coop were tackling, they were covering, they were strapping guys up, it was pretty cool to see,” Woolen said at his introductory news conference Thursday. “Now that I’m able to be a part of that, it’s awesome because it’s like, dang, where can you throw the ball to?”
Woolen left the 2025 champion Seahawks to join the ’24 champion Eagles, inking a one-year deal worth up to $15 million.
On paper, Philadelphia now has arguably the most talented corner trio in the NFL.
Woolen, who turns 27 in May, has a rare size/speed combo at the position. He is listed at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds and ran a 4.26 40-yard dash at the scouting combine. For perspective, the last player to start at cornerback for the Eagles 6-foot-4 or taller was Joe Lavender from 1973-75, according to Elias Sports Bureau and ESPN Research.
Woolen burst onto the NFL scene after being selected in the fifth round of the 2022 draft by the Seahawks, posting a league-leading six interceptions as a rookie en route to Pro Bowl honors. A former receiver, his ball skills have helped him record 53 passes defensed in 64 pro games.
His four seasons in Seattle were up and down, however. Untimely penalties and coverage letdowns were part of the equation and factored into him losing the No. 2 corner spot to Josh Jobe last season.
Woolen rebounded well following some early miscues and was a contributor for Seattle’s dominant defense, but made an error in the NFC Championship against the Los Angeles Rams that could have cost his team the game. A taunting penalty following a third-down pass breakup gave the Rams a new set of downs. Woolen was beaten by wide receiver Puka Nacua on the next play for a 34-yard touchdown that brought the Rams within four.
“I sometimes be in my head a little bit, but at the same time I like to show a lot of passion when I play, and sometimes I can get out of control a little bit,” Woolen said.
Woolen’s swagger is part of his makeup. The way he put it, “God didn’t make me to be a quiet person. God made me to go show off my abilities and play with passion and enthusiasm.” But he identified the mental part of the game as an area that needs improvement and said the key in those moments is to focus on celebrating with his teammates rather than interacting with the opponent.
If he can limit those kind of mistakes, the upside for this group of corners is tremendous. As Woolen noted, the skill sets of the projected starting group will allow defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to call a host of different looks. Woolen’s stickiness as a defender can come in handy in particular when Fangio opts for man coverage.
It’s also true that Fangio prioritizes limiting explosive plays. There is some boom or bust to Woolen’s play in that regard, something that will have to even out more for this secondary to reach its ceiling.
“To be able to be along [Cooper and Mitchell] and to play with a great front with [Jalen] Carter and J.D. [Jordan Davis] and some great linebacker play, it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Woolen said.
