One aspect of the Philadelphia Eagles that seems certain going into the 2026 season is how good the defense will be, but the question is to what level they will reach.
Philly's biggest concern was in the secondary and whether the Eagles would finally find their proper replacement for Darius Slay after over a year of looking. ESPN Eagles reporter Tim McManus shared that one new cornerback the team added to potentially replace Slay had himself a surprisingly good minicamp: Riq Woolen.
"The Eagles signed Woolen to a one-year deal worth up to $15 million this offseason to solidify the corner spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell. He has opened some eyes with his unique blend of size (6-foot-4, 210 pounds), speed and coverage skills. The highlight was an interception of a Jalen Hurts throw during minicamp where he anticipated a throw to tight end Dallas Goedert, undercut the route and sped the other way with the pick."
Everyone is starting to take notice of Riq Woolen's play with Eagles
Woolen had an up-and-down 2025 season with the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks as he was in and out of the lineup due to inconsistent play. It was his play late in the postseason with Seattle that made it known that he got his groove back and would have a nice payday in free agency.
He finished the 2025 regular season with 41 tackles, 12 pass deflections, one interception, one quarterback hit, and one tackle for loss. Pro Football Focus rewarded Woolen with a grade of 61.2, ranking 61st out of 114 eligible cornerbacks after allowing a passer rating of 78.9 and averaging 8.5 yards per reception.
The Eagles took a risk by giving him a one-year prove-it deal to see whether they had made the right decision. While it is too early for Eagles fans to get excited, Woolen looks to be everything the fan base has been waiting for.
Last year, the Eagles were struck with Adoree' Jackson and Kelee Ringo, and while Jackson played well late in the season, the inconsistency at CB2 proved too much and held the defense back. Ringo was a big disappointment as his 6-foot-2 height was going to give him an advantage, but ultimately, Woolen is the length corner the Eagles finally got, standing at 6-foot-4.
Philly already has a great cornerback duo between All-Pros Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, but needed that last piece to the puzzle. After watching Woolen shut down the Eagles' receiver and pick off Jalen Hurts at OTAs, it's now clear they have the right man for the job.
Read more: Eagles find themselves in a prison of their own making with odd roster decisions
Woolen is off to a great start with the Eagles and made a strong first impression with the fans. Can he sustain that success all year is the real question.
Add us as a preferred source on Google