‘All Part of the Journey’: Seattle Seahawks CB Riq Woolen Eyes Resurgence

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen doesn’t care what people think about his 2023 season.

After making the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2022, and tying for the NFL lead with six interceptions, Woolen took a step back production-wise last season. He dealt with a shoulder injury that seemingly hindered his physicality, and he was benched twice — once because of health and another time due to performance.

Woolen, when speaking to the reporters after practice on Friday, didn’t shy away from evaluating his season. He said he still had fun, and it was just another step in his career.

“I’ve been through ups and downs. I’ve been to the Pro Bowl, I’ve been on the bench before,” Woolen said. “It was just all part of the journey to me. I felt like as a young player I had to go through that just because it shows me that there’s some places that I don’t want to be and there’s places where I do want to be. That’s being a Pro Bowler, that’s to help my team get to the Super Bowl and just be a great player.”

Woolen finished last season with 10 fewer tackles (53), four fewer interceptions (2) and five fewer pass deflections (11) than he did as a rookie. He surrendered fewer receiving yards and yards per reception by a large margin but allowed a 62.1 percent completion percentage, per Pro Football Focus — about seven points higher than in 2022.

As the former Pro Bowler said himself, there were ups and downs.

“Honestly, I just felt like last year was a great year for me,” Woolen added. “To some people, they may have their own opinions but those [are] the same people that’s not playing the game. So, it’s okay with me. I feel great and I feel like this year will be even better.”

Entering this season, Woolen said he is trying to focus on learning the new scheme and adapting to the new system, coaches and teammates in general. In terms of improvement, Woolen said he emphasized getting stronger over the offseason.

Early in training camp, Woolen has already been battling with wide receiver DK Metcalf, with Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald calling the competition “iron sharpening iron.”

“With my reps and everything at camp, it has been showing that I put the work in … I do have faith in myself to continue to build off of it,” Woolen said.

Whether criticism of Woolen’s tackling ability is warranted or not, he has remained a plus starter in coverage. That’s already a strength of Woolen’s, and he believes he’s becoming a more complete cover corner heading into his third season.

Woolen wants to get better in off coverage (lining up off the line of scrimmage, instead of in press coverage), and that’s been a point of focus for him in camp, he said.

“I know that I’m a great press corner, but it’s a difference when you can play all two and you can change the game up,” Woolen said. “That’s something I feel like I got better at. Even at practice each day, I’ve been working on it. And certain days, I’ve been doing some days where I’m off and some days where I’m pressed up.”

For the first time in his NFL career, Woolen is also traveling in practice. Former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll always had his corners remain on the left or right side of the field. Macdonald, at least in practice, is switching that up.

Allowing corners to travel will benefit the disguised coverages in Macdonald’s scheme. Also, if they can play in different spots, you can match your best corner against the opposition’s top receiver on every down.

“When it comes down to it, it’s just football,” Woolen said. “Whenever you’re a great player like I am you’ve got to do certain things, and that’s one of the things I want to do. I want to play both sides. I want to travel. I want to do stuff like that. I don’t think it’s hard at all. I’m an athlete. I trust myself and I’m confident in what I do. So far, it’s been a breeze and I’m just getting better every day.”

Through nine training camp practices, Woolen is silencing any doubt that has carried over from the 2023 season. If he can put together all the tools he’s working to improve in camp, he could re-emerge as one of the top corners in the NFL in 2024.

More importantly, perhaps, he could be a key cog in Macdonald’s defense which looks to be one of the more innovative units in the league.