July 20, 2026
Nick Sirianni doesn't typically like singling out players for playing well in practices, but he made a rare exception for one in an interview ahead of Eagles training camp.
"There are so many guys working their asses off that I never want to be like, 'Oh, this guy looks good, and I didn't mention this guy.' But Riq Woolen, I'm really excited to have him," Sirianni said. "And I feel like every day I'm like, 'Wow, that was an impressive play.'
"We can get so caught up in wow plays. What wins is consistency. But the wow plays are fun to watch. And like, he has a lot of wow plays and he is consistent. He's being consistent with that. And so I'm really, really looking forward to him and Quinyon and Coop kind of roaming back there.
"And Riq works his butt off, and you're not supposed to look like that when you play corner. Like he just looks the part. I have these guys throughout the NFL of like, ‘Hey that dude didn't look real.’ You look at somebody like – I remember I used to think that way when I saw Calvin Johnson as a receiver. I always thought that of Julio Jones. You ain't supposed to look like that. And I feel like that with Riq. Like, you ain't supposed to look like that at that position. He's freaky. And yeah, excited about that."
Woolen is indeed a size-speed freak of nature. He's 6'4 with 34" arms, and he ran a 4.26 40 at the Combine. This is an all-timer spider chart:
Woolen was a Seahawks fifth-round pick in 2022 who started immediately as a rookie, finishing third in Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, when he had 63 tackles, six INTs, 16 pass breakups, and three fumble recoveries. He also made the Pro Bowl as a rookie.
However, Woolen was unable to sustain that level of play, and he struggled in 2025, even losing playing time while being floated on the trade block for the better part of the season. Our Geoff Mosher showed some of good and bad of Woolen's play back in March.
But the concerns haven't quelled enthusiasm for what Woolen can be in Vic Fangio's defense.
Fangio was also pleased with his initial exposure to Woolen back in May.
"I'm excited to have him," Fangio said. "We looked at him during the middle of the season last year a little bit because [the Seahawks] may have been interested in trading him, and we didn't decide to do it and I didn't get too involved in the evaluation.
"But then when it came free agency time this year and I actually sat down and watched him thoroughly, I was excited for him and kind of surprised that he was one of those guys that didn't get a lot of action for a long-term deal. I was thrilled to get him. I think he's going to play good for us."
Fangio doesn't blow smoke. In fact, his initial comments look a whole lot different from his early comments about Adoree' Jackson, who the Eagles acquired last offseason in free agency.
"I don't know if I think it's the place," Fangio said last July, when asked what makes him think Jackson could succeed in Philly. "I think it's time for him to show that. In Tennessee, when it came time to re-sign him after his contract was up, they didn't. The Giants, his contract was up, they didn't. It's time to show who he is or who he isn't."
Lol.
Media types have noticed as well. Because, well, Woolen's play on the field has been obviously impressive. We had him atop our spring practice "stock up" players a month ago, for example.
At a minimum, the Eagles are heading into 2026 training camp with a much better outlook at corner, with a pair of First-Team All-Pros in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, joined by Woolen, when last year it was Jackson and Kelee Ringo competing for the third CB spot, followed later by additions like Jakorian Bennett and others into the season.
Woolen has a chance to bring the Eagles' already elite cornerback group to another level.
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