There are plenty of players who are playing with a chip on their shoulders, and Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Riq Woolen is one of those guys.
During the offseason, the Eagles signed Woolen to a one-year, $12 million contract as their new starting CB2. His deal is worth up to $15 million in incentives.
For Woolen, though, this season is about showing the Eagles and the other NFL teams that he deserved a longer deal with more money. He's got a chance to show everyone up in Week 1 against the Washington Commanders.
Riq Woolen is ready to prove everyone wrong in Eagles-Commanders game
Last season with the Seattle Seahawks, Woolen racked up 41 tackles, one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit, 12 pass deflections, and one interception in 16 games. Pro Football Focus gave Woolen an overall grade of 61.2, ranking him 61st out of 114 cornerbacks after allowing a passer rating of 78.9 and averaging 8.5 yards per reception.
Woolen had some up-and-down moments last season with Seattle, which kept him on the bench for parts of it. He emerged in the postseason and played well, making highlight plays and helping the Seahawks win the Super Bowl.
OTAs were Woolen's coming-out party with the Eagles, which got everyone excited. Training camp was a slow start for him, but he finished strong, leaving fans hopeful that he can stay consistent throughout the season.
His 6-foot-4 height is such a major advantage for the Eagles' secondary if he can play well week after week. Not many cornerbacks are as tall as he is and can still compete with the top receivers in the NFL. Woolen is everything the Eagles hoped Kelee Ringo would be last year, but it never materialized.
This first game against the Commanders will be a good challenge for Woolen to start things out, with a good wide receiver room ahead of him. The expectation is that Eagles All-Pro corner Quinyon Mitchell will be guarding Terry McLaurin all game long, leaving Woolen on Stefon Diggs.
The assignment on Diggs is never an easy one, but Woolen has the size advantage over him. It will come down to whether Woolen can keep up with Diggs' route running and speed to shut him down.
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It's a good first test for Eagles fans to see what they have out of Woolen and whether he can be the true CB2 they have been waiting for since 2024. A good performance against the Commanders will go a long way in setting the tone for the rest of the season.
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