The writing truly appears to be on the wall for Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen, regardless of how much we are seeing him play as of late. This is a situation that's been brewing for a very long time, at this stage, and fans wouldn't be shocked, in the least, to see him moved by the NFL trade deadline.
That November 4 deadline is approaching quickly and fans are embracing for a likely deal, but there are some questions needing to be answered. First of all, what will the Seahawks be able to get in exchange? Will it be good enough to let him go and risk losing out on a compensatory pick next spring?
Secondly, who replaces Woolen? If he isn't on the roster already, this might be a situation where Seattle makes another deal. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Matt Bowen list New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor as a trade possibility, along with the Seahawks being a fit.
Could the Seahawks make a pair of cornerback trades to finally let go of their Riq Woolen conundrum?
In the last year of his contract, Woolen will likely fetch a decent comp pick if he were to stick it out this season in Seattle and sign elsewhere come next March. So, this is a strong possibility for the team. But, if they wanted to get out of having to deal with his inconsistent play, dealing him for a good-enough pick is also on the table.
Taylor, meanwhile, is going to be tough to pry away from New Orleans, as Fowler and Bowen believe he's got only a 25 percent chance of being dealt. Yet, the Saints are also a team that needs as many assets as they can possibly get, going into the future.
The Saints have been financially-irresponsible for quite some time, and draft capital is the best way to relieve that pain.
He is a talented cornerback and turns 27 in December. That gives him plenty of football left, but will the Saints want to commit to him on a long-term deal? They could potentially rely on the other youngsters they've got.
"Taylor is a 2026 free agent who figures to earn a big payday, and it's worth noting that the Saints have a young core of defensive backs they like in Kool-Aid McKinstry, Quincy Riley and Jonas Sanker," Fowler wrote.
Back to Seattle, who would prepare to roll with Josh Jobe and Devon Witherspoon (when healthy) on the outside. They also have rookie Nick Emmanwori who can man the slot.
And, funny enough, Woolen seems to be getting praise from head coach Mike Macdonald lately, so maybe he sticks around. Or, maybe that's just a coach trying to sell other teams on Woolen. We'll have to wait and see.
This seems like it could be a long shot, but don't rule out the possibility of Woolen being on his way out and a player like Taylor taking his place.