The Seattle Seahawks are off to a 3-1 start and have a home game in Week 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The problem is that Seattle entered the game with a number of key injuries in the secondary. One player keeps getting chances when many don't think he should.
That player, of course, is cornerback Riq Woolen. In the final year of his rookie deal and looking to cash in next offseason in free agency, Woolen has been a dud. His quarterback rating allowed is more than 30 points higher than in any of his previous three seasons, and he already has six penalties.
Still, 12s know that the corner is capable of great play. Seahawks fans have seen it from Woolen, especially in pass coverage. He might struggle with run support, and has a mercurial attitude, but he's been stout at blanketing receivers. At least, until this season.
Rumors swirl around the Seattle Seahawks potentially trading Riq Woolen
With Woolen playing so poorly, in respect to his previous level, many have suspected the Seattle Seahawks might trade him while he has some decent value. Head coach Mike Macdonald would like to use two cornerback sets quite a bit and use three safeties instead, but he hasn't been able to do that in 2025.
Instead of using Devon Witherspoon and Josh Jobe at cornerback, and Coby Bryant, Julian Love, and Nick Emmanwori at safety, Woolen has been forced to play even more than in previous seasons. Witherspoon is going to miss Week 5, which means Woolen will once again play a lot. But once Witherspoon returns, Woolen could lose reps and might be headed for an exit from Seattle.
According to Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox, two teams are logical landing spots for Riq Woolen. One is the Las Vegas Raiders, and the other is the Miami Dolphins.
Vegas makes sense because it would pair the cornerback with his former Seahawks head coach, Pete Carroll. Miami doomed itself ahead of the season by trading All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Woolen could be Ramsey's true replacement.
Of course, Woolen is nowhere near the player Ramsey is, and never has been. The Dolphins have a terrible cornerback group overall, however, so the Seattle corner would automatically be an upgrade. Even at his current level, Woolen is better than nearly anyone else the Dolphins have.
What will likely happen, though, is that Riq Woolen will begin to play a bit better for the Seattle Seahawks, and the team won't trade him. He might not be re-signed next year, but he will likely remain with Seattle through the end of his rookie deal.