In an offseason replete with additions and subtractions for the Philadelphia Eagles, one move in particular has been garnering extremely positive commentary.
Bill Barnwell of ESPN highlighted the signing of Riq Woolen as the best deal made by the Eagles made this offseason.
"The obvious weak spot for the Eagles in 2025 on an otherwise excellent defense was on the outside at cornerback. With Cooper DeJean in the slot and Quinyon Mitchell locking down one side of the field, teams threw early and often at Adoree' Jackson. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio went to Kelee Ringo in the same role with little success, and by midseason, the Eagles simply accepted that Jackson was going to be bombarded with attention. He was targeted on more than 20% of his coverage snaps on the outside last season, the fourth-highest rate of any corner in the league with 200 snaps or more.
Riq Woolen named Eagles' best offseason move
While Jackson did rebound from a porous start to perform at a solid level for stretches, the opposition was indeed hunting for him this past season. Meanwhile, Eagles fans saw Ringo's insertion resulted in his swift removal after the former Georgia Bulldog struggled. Jackson, of course, has moved on, and the arrival of Woolen should be a major upgrade for the entire secondary, not just the corner spot.
"Bringing in Woolen upgrades the Eagles at two spots. In their nickel subpackage, Woolen's size and ability to disrupt routes should appeal to Fangio. The former Seahawks corner has allowed a passer rating under 80 in each of his first four seasons as a pro. He'll also play on the outside when the Eagles are in their base defense, allowing DeJean to move to safety in four-DB sets, which will help the Eagles cover for the departed Reed Blankenship."
Woolen's wing span and anticipation allow the former Seahawk standout to blanket his man early and often, resulting in that meager passer rating when teams roll the dice by throwing his way. And as Barnwell noted, his addition to the secondary in Philadelphia is twofold in its impact, as his presence at corner not only shores things up on the outside, but it also enables the transition of DeJean to safety in four-DB sets.
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Already earning praise from teammates and talking heads alike in the early stages of OTAs, Woolen could be in store for an excellent season, one that makes the entire secondary exponentially better.
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