Vic Fangio details what excites Eagles most about CB Riq Woolen

[ASFN Admin]

The Eagles entered the offseason with questions at cornerback opposite All-Pro Quinyon Mitchell. They exited it with one of the NFL's deepest and most versatile secondaries. Philadelphia strengthened an already talented defensive backfield by signing former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen to a one-year contract worth up to $15 million, giving defensive coordinator Vic Fangio another high-end option capable of matching up against the NFL's top wide receivers.

Asked what stood out most about Woolen's game, Fangio pointed to a trait few defensive backs possess.

"Well, he's a rare guy in that you don't see many corners in the league that are 6-foot-4," Fangio said Thursday. "You don't see many that are 6-2 or even 6-1 and there's a reason for that."

Height at cornerback can create challenges. Longer defensive backs often struggle changing direction or mirroring receivers in space, particularly against elite route runners. Fangio believes Woolen is different.

"It's hard to find guys at those heights that can move and mirror receivers that are hard to cover," Fangio said. "He can do that for a guy his height. He can get in and out of breaks. He obviously has good downfield speed and his length is more of an asset than a detriment in his case."

Philadelphia needed stability opposite Mitchell after inconsistency at outside cornerback last season. Adoree' Jackson struggled in coverage, and opposing offenses frequently targeted that side of the field. Woolen changes that equation.

The former Seahawks standout lined up across the secondary in 2025, logging 382 snaps at left cornerback, 376 at right cornerback, and additional work inside, giving Fangio another versatile piece in a defense built around disguise and matchup flexibility. The production matched the traits.

According to Next Gen Stats, Woolen allowed the sixth-lowest completion percentage among cornerbacks targeted at least 50 times last season at 49.2%. His man coverage metrics were even stronger. Woolen allowed 0.5 yards per coverage snap in man coverage, the fewest among outside cornerbacks, while opponents completed just 31.3% of passes thrown his direction in man situations. He also surrendered only 46 total yards while playing man coverage.

The addition could allow Fangio to expand what Philadelphia does defensively without increasing pressure packages. Stronger outside coverage gives defensive coordinators greater flexibility to pressure quarterbacks without relying heavily on blitzes. Fangio has also praised Woolen's approach since Woolen arrived in Philadelphia.

"I'm excited to have him," Fangio said. "He's been here since we started the offseason. Seems to be a great guy. He's into being here and really looking forward to working with him."

Philadelphia already featured one of the NFL's strongest young defensive foundations with Mitchell and Cooper DeJean anchoring the secondary. Woolen adds another long, physical cornerback capable of matching speed with size. The Eagles entered the offseason needing answers at cornerback. Now they may have one of the NFL's best groups.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Riq Woolen gives the Eagles another elite option in secondary

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