The Seattle Seahawks did right by Josh Jobe this offseason. He earned his stripes and some long-term financial security, and with Riq Woolen set to hit free agency, giving him a three-year, $24 million deal was an easy decision.
Woolen lost his starting spot in Seattle and failed to live up to the hype after his outstanding rookie season. Missed tackles, defensive miscues, and inconsistent play ultimately doomed his fate with Mike Macdonald's team.
However, it looks like he's already turning the page with his new team. The Philadelphia Eagles' defensive coordinator had nothing but praise for him after spring workouts, and one can only wonder whether the Seahawks will ultimately regret giving up on him.
The Seattle Seahawks might be thin at cornerback without Riq Woolen
“He’s a rare guy,” Fangio told PennLive. “You don’t see many corners in the league that are 6-4. You don’t see many that are 6-2 or 6-1, and there’s a reason for that. It’s hard to find guys at those heights that can move and mirror receivers that are hard to cover. He can do that for a guy his height.”
Woolen's sturdy frame certainly made him stand out from the rest of the pack. The Seahawks added three CBs to the mix in the NFL Draft, taking two big bodies in Julian Neal and Andre Fuller, and also taking the 5-11 Michael Dansby in the seventh round.
However, rookies are always a toss-up. Even if they turn out to be good and contribute, they may need some time to get their legs under them and get a hold of the pro game's speed. Beyond them, they have Nehemiah Pritchett, who's never been a factor, and Tyrone Broden.
The Seahawks have an elite stopper in Devon Witherspoon, and Nick Emmanwori will also be a force to be reckoned with in the secondary. Jobe has more than held his ground and should round things up pretty well for that unit, but this team might be an injury away from really missing Woolen.
Time and time again, he was the scapegoat and seemed to be the odd man out. Still, some people just need a change of scenery and a different environment to thrive, and the Eagles might be extremely high on him if they're willing to move a budding star like Cooper DeJean to the slot so he can start opposite Quinyon Mitchell.
Watching former castaways thrive with other teams always leaves a bad taste in the fans' mouths. Woolen looked like a massive draft steal and a star in the making as a rookie, so he was always held to a different standard. That said, he was a fifth-round pick, so maybe he only needed more patience and time to figure things out.
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