Will Seattle Seahawks CB Riq Woolen Return to Form in 2024?

After making the Pro Bowl as a rookie, Riq Woolen's sophomore season was a clear step back, but he remains a high-upside starter at worst in the Seahawks secondary.

Oct 29, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) celebrates intercepting a pass against the Cleveland Browns during the first half at Lumen Field. / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen dazzled as a rookie in 2022, earning a Pro Bowl nod in his first season and finishing third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. The lanky speedster tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions and emerged as one of the top young corners in the league.

Woolen’s 2023 season, however, didn’t receive the same level of praise. He pulled in just two interceptions, was criticized for mistakes in coverage and an unwillingness to make plays in the run game, and was benched on two separate occasions by Pete Carroll in favor of five-year veteran Mike Jackson.

Can Woolen, 25, bounce back from his sophomore slump and return to form under a new coaching regime led by Mike Macdonald, or was his rookie season a fluke?

The Rise

After switching from wide receiver to cornerback during his third season at UTSA, Woolen became a full-time starter for the Roadrunners by his senior campaign in 2021. His draft profile was built on his athleticism, however, as his production was never outstanding (25 combined tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, five passes defensed and one interception in nine games as a senior).

At 6-4, 205 pounds with nearly 34-inch arms, Woolen clocked a 4.26 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, still tied for the fifth fastest all-time. Woolen’s unique blend of size, length and speed was exactly the type of corner Pete Carroll coveted, prompting the Seahawks to draft him in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Woolen won the starting job at right cornerback in training camp, despite being forecasted as a raw talent that would need time to develop — especially with his lack of experience at the position and absence of production in college. But it was the right move, at least from a coverage standpoint.

As a rookie, Woolen finished the season with 63 combined tackles, one tackle for loss, six interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 16 passes defensed and a forced fumble. He finished third in DROY voting behind Jets star corner Sauce Gardner and Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson.

Woolen was Pro Football Focus’ 35th highest-graded cornerback (69.1 grade) with a minimum of 300 snaps played, and he received a 74.2 coverage grade to rank 25th. However, his run defense grade of 49.1 ranked 99th, and his tackling grade of 38.7 was 106th of 120 qualifying cornerbacks — metrics that were easy to overlook because of his effectiveness in coverage.

On 76 targets, Woolen surrendered 42 receptions (55.3 percent completion) for 637 yards and five touchdowns, per PFF. His 72.1 passer rating allowed ranked 13th among corners with at least 300 snaps. Despite showing ample upside in coverage, Woolen had a 17.9 percent missed tackle percentage, which was the 17th worst in the NFL at his position.

Even with areas of his game that were underdeveloped, Woolen provided ample reason for optimism as a rookie. His speed allowed him to close the gap on receivers even if he got beat at the line of scrimmage, and his ball skills were above average from his background as a wide receiver.

The Fall

The holes in Woolen’s game were exposed in his sophomore season, as his coverage ability occasionally faltered, spotlighting his run-defense struggles. Woolen displayed low effort in stepping up to make tackles, and his missed tackle percentage climbed to 20 percent, per PFF, which was the 15th worst in the NFL last season at the position.

Worse yet, Woolen’s run defense grade (37.3) ranked 121st out of 129 corners with at least 300 snaps, and his tackling grade (38.6) was 112th, per PFF. Whether you place weight in PFF grades or not, this seemed fitting just based on the eye test.

An unwillingness to tackle and increase of errors in coverage led to Woolen being benched twice during the 2023 season — once during Seattle’s Week 12 game against the 49ers, and again ahead of the Seahawks’ Week 15 game against Philadelphia. Jackson started in Woolen’s place against the Eagles after Woolen missed three tackles versus the 49ers in Week 14 and blew a coverage that led to a George Kittle touchdown catch.

Overall, Woolen finished the 2023 season with 53 combined tackles, one tackle for loss, two interceptions and 11 passes defensed. After playing 98 percent of Seattle’s total defensive snaps as a rookie, he was on defense 85 percent of the time.

Woolen earned a 67.1 overall defense grade, which was 53rd among cornerbacks with at least 300 snaps. His coverage grade of 75.0 was an improvement, despite ranking two spots lower than in 2022 at 27th.

For the season, Woolen was targeted 66 times and allowed 41 receptions (62.1 percent completion) for 391 yards and three touchdowns, per PFF. Woolen allowed an 81.1 passer rating, which ranked 30th among corners with at least 300 snaps, and his 9.5 yards per reception also ranked 18th — two bright spots in a down season for the defensive back.

Jackson, who played 474 snaps compared to Woolen’s 939, ranked top-25 in overall defense and coverage grades, per PFF. He was also tied for 31st in run defense grading at 71.5, which was a significant improvement over Woolen when expecting a run. All those factors ate into Woolen’s snaps in 2023 and affected Carroll’s decision-making on how to deploy the second-year corner.

Outlook for 2024

Woolen appears to remain the favorite to start at the right cornerback spot for Seattle in 2024, despite his sophomore slump. All of his deficiencies are coachable traits, particularly his willingness to tackle.

The athleticism and size Woolen possesses are rare and particularly desirable for a boundary corner in today’s NFL. Receivers will continue to get faster, and coaches will continue to create more complex, deceptive route stems for their speedy pass catchers that beat slower defenders.

Aside from the occasional mental mistake, there is no reason to give up on Woolen, who remains good in coverage. Macdonald demands physicality from his defensive backs and also sets them up for success by disguising coverages to give them an upper hand. If Woolen cannot meet those standards, Macdonald will find someone who will. For now, however, assume the staff is working to improve his game in the areas he struggled with last season.

Nov 19, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) intercepts a pass against Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Austin Trammell (81) in the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium. / Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

It's also worth noting Woolen suffered a shoulder injury in Seattle’s Week 2 game against Detroit last season, and it appeared to be a nagging issue throughout the campaign. That could have been a major factor in his unwillingness to make tackles near the line of scrimmage. If he has fully recovered from that injury, Woolen may make strides in that area.

After his rookie season, it was too early to tab Woolen as an elite corner. Now, after a troubling second season, it’s also too early to say he was a one-year wonder. Woolen’s third season will be crucial to his future in the NFL.

Predictions for 2024

58 combined tackles, 2.5 TFL, 3 INT, 1 SK, 15 PD; 71 targets, 41 receptions allowed, 418 receiving yards allowed, 4 TD

No, this isn’t a season that puts Woolen in elite company, but it’s a steady bounce-back campaign that keeps him on the plus side of NFL starters and secures his starting role heading into a contract year in 2025.

Woolen doesn’t quite match his rookie tackling totals, but he does get in the backfield more often and becomes more physical in defending the run. He also logs his first career sack on a cornerback blitz dialed up by Macdonald and becomes somewhat of a threat off the edge with his speed when the opportunity presents itself.

Seeing a target share that sits between his first and second seasons, Woolen allows a 58% completion rate and 10.2 yards per reception, both of which rank top-40 in the NFL at his position. Woolen surrenders fewer yards overall, but one more touchdown than in 2023. His mental lapses in coverage are minimized, and he establishes himself as a more complete cornerback.

With his physical traits, a healthy Woolen is a starter in the NFL. He has flashed All-Pro ability and could get there eventually. For now, this season quiets Woolen’s critics and helps Seattle’s new-look defense to be in the top half of the league.