The Seattle Seahawks look like they have a lot of cap room in 2026. They don't. Not really. The team might be able to roll over $30 million from this season, and Seattle already has the fifth-most space next offseason, but there is a catch.
General manager John Schneider has lots of decisions to make on Seahawks players whose rookie contracts will be ending. Edge rusher Boye Mafe is a keeper, and so might right tackle Abraham Lucas be. Running back Kenneth Walker needs to stay healthy, but he could have a huge season in 2025.
Another player who could be up for a massive pay increase next year is cornerback Riq Woolen. He is likely to have the kind of year that is either going to get him a new deal that pays him close to $15 million a season or much more, or one that barely keeps him holding on to a spot in the league.
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen could earn a lot of money beginning next season
Woolen can cover well, and 12s know this. He does tend to get lost on crossing routes far too much, but one-on-one deep, he is difficult to beat. His speed and size make it difficult for quarterbacks to fit the ball in easily. But coverage isn't Woolen's main concern.
Instead, he doesn't consistently set a hard edge against the run (apparently either incapable or unwilling to do so), and has a mercurial attitude. He was benched for the opening series of a game last season due to breaking an unspecified team rule. Woolen cannot afford that.
Things have changed since he was a fifth-round draft pick in 2022. That season, he tied for the league lead in interceptions with six and was a fairly physical presence when taking down ball-carriers. He wasn't exactly Richard Sherman-esque, but he implied he could turn into that.
But a knee injury in minicamp entering his second season affected how good he was early in 2023, and seemingly gave him some trepidation in terms of trying to help in run support. He whiffed on 20 percent of his tackle attempts.
Last year, he missed 15 percent, but graded well, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), against the run. If he can be even better this coming season while continuing a run of not having a passer rating allowed of more than 83.7, Riq Woolen is going to make a lot of money starting next year.
If he reverts to his 2023 form, the Seattle Seahawks cornerback could be looking at a one-year prove-it deal, when he will have no choice but to be better overall.