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Rumors have been swirling around the Seattle Seahawks and cornerback Riq Woolen. The NFL trade deadline is just five days away, and things are going to heat up quickly. There have been several teams that Woolen has been linked to in the last couple of weeks. One team that could use some help in the secondary is the New England Patriots. They are off to a surprising 6-2 start and on top in the AFC East. While it would seem like a fit for Woolen with the Patriots, are the Seahawks really shopping him and looking to trade him? NFL Writer Links Riq Woolen to Patriots Nicole Yang of the Boston Globe listed some potential trade targets for New England. Wollen was one of the players she listed. “At cornerback, Tariq Woolen of the Seahawks and the Saints’ Alontae Taylor are possibilities. The 6-foot-4-inch Woolen, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, would provide depth on the boundary and could benefit from a change in scenery. The 26-year-old Taylor has more versatility, able to line up out of the slot or outside,’’ Yang wrote. The Patriots’ defense ranks near the bottom of the league when it comes to some metrics, according to Ben Volin, also of the Boston Globe. Adding a player like Woolen could help solve some of their struggles. “Despite having an excellent cover cornerback in Christian Gonzalez and a good one in Carlton Davis, the Patriots rank 25th in net yards per pass attempt (6.6) and have allowed the second-most completions of 20-plus yards in the NFL (28),’’ wrote Volin. “There is room for improvement on passes that travel at least 21 air yards. The Patriots have allowed completions on 12 of 21 attempts for a 57.1 percent completion rate that ranks 31st. Those completions have gone for 365 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception for a 121.5 passer rating on deep passes that ranks 28th.’’ Will the Seahawks Trade CB Riq Woolen? A lot of the mock drafts and trade rumors have a common theme that has popped up around Woolen. It’s that a ‘change in scenery’ is needed. There is no doubt the talent is there for the former UTSA cornerback. Woolen was named to the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2022. He had 6 interceptions, tying him for sixth in the NFL that year. This year, in six of the seven Seahawks’ games, he has 19 tackles and three passes defended. He has four picks in his career in the NFL with five fumble recoveries. It is not a guarantee that Seattle does, in fact, trade Woolen by next Tuesday. They have been dealing with injuries in the secondary and are a legit NFC contender in the playoffs. They are 5-2 heading into Sunday night’s clash with the struggling Washington Commanders and in the thick of the NFC West race. On the flip side, dealing Woolen would get Seattle a decent return. It’s not guaranteed he’s brought back next year if he finishes the season with the Seahawks. There are a lot of teams looking for cornerback help this season. This might be the time for Mike Macdonald and the front office to move on from him.
