Pundits have worked under the assumption cornerback Riq Woolen would leave the Seattle Seahawks in 2026 NFL free agency. Now days before free agency, ESPN doesn’t see that changing.
ESPN’s NFL staff wrote Friday it fully expects Woolen to depart the Seahawks this offseason.
Free agents can sign with new teams officially at 4 pm ET Wednesday. Players can begin negotiating with other teams, through their agents, beginning at 12 pm ET Monday.
“Riq Woolen is expected to sign elsewhere …” wrote ESPN’s staff. “With a mini-benching in 2024, a demotion to the No. 3 corner in 2025 and the Seahawks open to trading him at the deadline in November, the writing has clearly been on the wall.
“Woolen has a rare blend of size and speed, and at his best, he’s one of the game’s better ball-hawking cornerbacks. That should be enough to get him a lucrative contract from another team — and a middle-round compensatory pick for Seattle in 2027.”
The Athletic’s Daniel Popper projected Woolen to be worth a 4-year, $76 million contract in free agency.
Woolen finished tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions as a rookie in 2022. He made the Pro Bowl that season.
In 2025, though, he wasn’t a consistent starter. As ESPN mentioned, the Seahawks entertained trade offers for the cornerback before November’s trade deadline.
While playing 64 games for the Seahawks, Woolen posted 53 pass defenses and 12 interceptions.
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