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.
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 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. 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 holes in Woolen’s game were exposed in his sophomore season, as his coverage ability occasionally faltered, spotlighting his run-defense struggles.
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. 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.
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