ESPN scoop adds another intriguing name to Seahawks chatter before NFL trade deadline

With Tuesday’s trade deadline coming up fast, we knew that NFL teams would be calling the Seattle Seahawks about cornerback Riq Woolen. A recent scoop from Brady Henderson at ESPN stated that Seattle has been shopping Woolen for a while now,

So, part of Adam Schefter’s Saturday evening scoop did not come as a surprise. He reports that the Seahawks are indeed actively fielding calls about potential trades for Woolen.

However, Schefter’s report also dropped some new information: teams are also calling Seattle about outside linebacker Boye Mafe, who is playing out the final year of his rookie contract.

“Teams have inquired to the Seattle Seahawks about the availability of standout linebacker Boye Mafe and former Pro Bowl cornerback Riq Woolen, sources told ESPN on Saturday.

“Seattle hasn’t wanted to trade Mafe or Woolen, according to sources, but it will be interesting to see how aggressive another team might be ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.”

Also part of Seattle’s stellar 2022 NFL draft class, Woolen is playing out the final year of his rookie contract, as well.

That’s just one of several reasons why the Seahawks clearly want to trade Woolen – regardless of what Schefter’s report says about them not wanting to trade either one. That claim contradicts common sense as well as the latest scoop from NFL Network, which suggests that a deal is more likely to get done than not.

Woolen had a magnificent rookie season and was in the conversation to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, which wound up going to Jets star Sauce Gardner. Since then the two have taken opposite paths, with Woolen dropping off and Gardner continuing to ascend to an elite level.

There’s still a chance that Woolen could join Gardner in that rare group at the top of the game’s most-challenging position. However, the Seahawks haven’t been able to get it out of him either under Pete Carroll or Mike Macdonald, both of whom have benched Woolen at different times.

As for Mafe, he’s had a supremely promising start to his career – including a nine-sack performance in the 2023 season. Mafe’s production has also fallen off, though. In seven games this season he has yet to record a single sack and has managed just two quarterback hits.

Long story short, the Seahawks may claim they don’t want to trade either one, but if they get a good enough offer over the next couple of days, they’ll take it.

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