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Dec 28, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) reacts against the Carolina Panthers during the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Eagles Found 'Perfect Solution' With Riq Woolen

Originally posted on Philadelphia Eagles on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Mar 24, 2026 2:04 PM ET

It has been a somewhat quiet offseason so far for the Philadelphia Eagles, but Howie Roseman and Co. have done a good job upgrading the roster without breaking the bank.

Philadelphia also has positioned itself to make a splash. The Eagles have the seventh-most salary cap space in the National Football League at just over $32 million, per Over The Cap. So far this offseason, the Eagles have addressed the cornerback room, potentially safety, added a No. 3 wide receiver who could be even more than that, retained Dallas Goedert and has added one pass rusher with upside. Philadelphia hasn't had to commit big, long-term money to anyone, and yet the Eagles are better on paper than they were.

The three best moves of the offseason so far have been signing Pro Bowler Riq Woolen to a one-year deal, retaining Goedert and signing Hollywood Brown to a one-year deal. These are three starters on cheap deals. A Roseman masterclass. But which one is the best? Pro Football Focus tabbed the Woolen signing as Philadelphia's top move of the offseason so far and called the young corner the "perfect solution" for Philadelphia's No. 2 outside cornerback question.

The Eagles made a great move

"Philadelphia Eagles," Pro Football Focus' Zoltán Buday wrote. "Favorite Move: CB Riq Woolen. The Eagles struggled to fill the void across Quinyon Mitchell at cornerback after the departure of Darius Slay. Woolen could be the perfect solution. He hit free agency at a poor time, with 2025 being the lowest-graded season (59.8) of his career. However, if he can get back to even his 2023 self, when he ranked 52nd with a 67.1 PFF overall grade, this is good business for the Eagles.

"Least Favorite Move: N/A. Despite signing some outsiders and re-signing their own players, the Eagles don't seem to have overpaid for anyone."

Buday is right about Woolen. The 26-year-old was a Pro Bowler as a rookie back in 2022. That season, he led the league with six interceptions across 17 games of work. He also held opposing quarterbacks to a 51.5 completion rate (34-of-66 against). It's hard to live up to a rookie season of that caliber and he hasn't been at that same level since. He hauled in two interceptions in 2023, three interceptions in 2024 and one interception in 2025. While the interception numbers dropped, quarterbacks still have had trouble throwing Woolen's way.

In 2025, quarterbacks completed 54.2 percent of their passes against Woolen in coverage (39-of-72 passing) for just 348 yards and three touchdowns. If he could bring that exact production to Philadelphia in 2026, he will be the "perfect solution" the Eagles have needed in the cornerback room since moving on from Darius Slay before the 2025 season. The fact that the Eagles were able to get him on a one-year deal only makes the deal better. Philadelphia added a corner who can be elite when he's at his best, looking to rebuild his value. He'll need a big season to get a lucrative, multi-year deal in free agency, so there's going to be a bit of extra motivation to help take Philadelphia's defense to another level.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia Eagles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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