Riq Woolen – Page 2 – Syndication Server

Seahawks Week 7 injury report: Byron Murphy II returns to practice

Injuries have been the name of the game for the NFL this season, especially when it comes to the Seattle Seahawks. After playing three games in an eleven day stretch, the team was in desperate need of some time off. Unfortunately, it appears the extra rest didn’t exactly heal the team up.

Safety Rayshawn Jenkins was placed on injured reserve, no improvement to Abe Lucas, and now the injury report includes the right half of Seattle’s already decimated offensive line.

The only bit of good news is Byron Murphy II has returned to practice in a limited capacity. But that’s just about where it ends for Wednesday’s injury report.

The full report can be seen below.

Did Not Participate:

T Stone Forsythe – Hand
G Anthony Bradford – Toe
CB Tre Brown – Ankle
CB Riq Woolen – Ankle
WR Laviska Shenault – Back

Limited Participation:

C Connor Williams – Chest
LB Boye Mafe – Knee
DT Byron Murphy II – Hamstring
DE Leonard Williams – Knee
S Jerrick Reed II – Knee

Full Participation:

S Julian Love – Hamstring/Quad

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Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald gives updates for Murphy, Woolen and Lucas

The Seattle Seahawks need to find a way to end this losing streak they are on, and their first opportunity to do so will come on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. Seattle’s defense has been brutalized on and off the field for the last three weeks, mainly due to injuries sustained at key positions.

On Wednesday, head coach Mike Macdonald did offer some updates for a few of their top defensive players. The good news is it appears rookie defensive tackle Byron Murphy II is going to return to practice, and Seattle needs him in a bad way. As for his cornerbacks, Tre Brown and Riq Woolen, it is a bit of a mixed bag. Sadly, there is no good news to be given for the ailing offensive line.

From Mike Macdonald: Byron Murphy (hamstring) will practice today. Tre Brown (ankle) won't. Probably will come down to the wire this week w/ Riq Woolen (ankle). George Fant (knee) progressing but unlikely to come off IR this week. Abe Lucas (knee) won't start practicing this week

— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) October 16, 2024

The Seahawks’ rush defense has once again collapsed into one of the worst in the league. New York and San Francisco bullied Seattle’s defensive front to embarrassing proportions. Having Murphy back into the lineup should give this unit a considerable boost.

Fingers are crossed Woolen can return to help slow down Atlanta’s efficient passing attack, led by quarterback Kirk Cousins and receiver Drake London.

As for the offensive line, no help is on the horizon for the worst in football.

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Seahawks Week 6 inactives: Riq Woolen and 6 others will not play vs. 49ers

The Seattle Seahawks are gearing up to take on the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football. They will be looking to end their current two-game losing streak on the season, and their current five-game streak against the Niners.

Seattle will be shorthanded on defense. Cornerback Riq Woolen and Byron Murphy II, who were ruled OUT earlier in the week, are both officially inactive for Thursday. The Seahawks without one of their top corners is a blow, but San Francisco will be without one as well. Cornerback Charvarius Ward

The full inactives list for both teams are below.

Seahawks Inactives:

CB Riq Woolen
LB Trevis Gipson
C Olu Oluwatimi
G Sataoa Laumea
WR Dareke Young
DT Byron Murphy II
DE Myles Adams

49ers Inactives:

QB Joshua Dobbs
OL Ben Bartch
LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
CB Charvarius Ward
TE Brayden Willis
DL Jordan Elliott
K Jake Moody

Be sure to follow @TheSeahawksWire and @KoleMusgrove23 on Twitter for live updates, analysis and highlights during the game.

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Week 6 preview and prediction: Seahawks vs 49ers

The Seattle Seahawks are in the first losing streak of the Mike Macdonald era. They will look to get off the schneid on Thursday night against the 2-3 San Francisco 49ers – a team they have lost to for five-straight games.

Despite the recent success San Francisco has had against Seattle, judging by fans online it does not seem as if anyone is too confident in their team… on either side. Currently, the Seahawks remain in first place in the NFC West, but they mainly have the Arizona Cardinals to thank for this. Arizona upset the heavily injured 49ers 24-23 on Sunday, keeping Seattle on top of the division despite their own brutal loss.

San Francisco has become a walking wounded squad. Star defensive lineman Javon Hargrave has been lost for the year, and the reigning Offensive Player of the Year in Christian McCaffrey is still on injured reserve. The Niners have struggled in the red zone this season without McCaffrey, but they are still able to run the ball well behind the legs of Jordan Mason.

Unfortunately, Seattle’s weaknesses along their own defensive front in regards to stopping the run. The Giants gashed them for 175 yards as a team on Sunday, and rookie Byron Murphy II will be missing his third-straight game.

However, the Niners have equal vulnerability on the ground. They key for Seattle is if they will be able to get their own rushing attack going. On Sunday, the Seahawks ran 58 plays and only seven were called runs. This is unacceptable with a healthy Kenneth Walker III in the mix, especially when the game against the Giants was either tied or within a score for three full quarters.

Being able to establish the run will be crucial for a Seahawks offensive line struggling mightily to protect Geno Smith. Having the men up front move forward more than backwards, taking pressure off themselves and their quarterback. The Niners may not have Hargrave, but Nick Bosa is more than terrifying enough.

Seattle’s defense may not be as injured as they were against the Lions, but they will be without cornerback Riq Woolen. They will have Boye Mafe back to help bring pressure to Brock Purdy, but San Francisco has too many weapons for a shorthanded secondary.

The 49ers are desperate. They are a veteran team with a well-established system and culture. Seattle could make this more competitive than they have in the last five meetings, but San Francisco is still a touch matchup.

Prediction: 49ers over Seahawks 28-21

Seahawks Week 6 injury report: Byron Murphy and Riq Woolen ruled OUT for TNF

The Seattle Seahawks are having a quick turnaround to snap their current losing streak, as they will take on the San Francisco 49ers tomorrow on Thursday Night Football. Unfortunately, they will be shorthanded once more on their defense, as a handful of key contributors won’t be playing.

The Seahawks have already ruled rookie defensive tackle Byron Murphy II and cornerback Riq Woolen as OUT for TNF. Murphy II will be missing his third-straight game, and Woolen will miss his first.

Fortunately, there is some good news. Head coach Mike Macdonald said Boye Mafe and Derick Hall, who are both listed as QUESTIONABLE, should be back. As for safety Julian Love, he will be a game time decision.

The full injury report can be seen below.

Ruled OUT for Thursday:

DT Byron Murphy II – Hamstring
LB Uchenna Nwosu – Thigh
CB Riq Woolen – Ankle

Doubtful for Thursday:

No players carry a DOUBTFUL designation

Questionable for Thursday:

LB Derick Hall – Foot
S Julian Love – Hamstring
LB Boye Mafe – Knee

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Seahawks need Artie Burns to step up vs. 49ers on TNF

The Seattle Seahawks could be without superstar cornerback Riq Woolen against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football. Woolen missed Tuesday’s practice with an ankle injury designation. It was his second consecutive missed practice, though it’s worth noting Monday’s session was simply a walk through.

Woolen exited Sunday’s defeat to the New York Giants after 49 snaps with that ankle injury. Had Woolen played the entire contest, he’d likely be Seattle’s most-snapped cornerback this season. He now trails Devon Witherspoon by 21 snaps for that achievement. That’s how critical Seattle’s premier cover-man is to Mike Macdonald’s defense.

With Woolen trending on the wrong side of questionable, Macdonald and defensive coordinator Aden Durde are tasked with coming up with solutions. If Woolen doesn’t play, the likeliest scenario sees the Seahawks playing Witherspoon and Tre Brown on the outside with veteran corner Artie Burns in the slot. Burns is currently on the practice squad, but is expected to be promoted to the 53 man roster, or can be used as a standard game-day elevation.

Witherspoon has typically played slot corner this season, but kicking him outside allows the Seahawks to get the more experienced Burns into the lineup. The alternative would be to start fifth-round rookie cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett. That would be risky against a 49ers offense that features Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel at receiver, hence why promoting Burns makes more sense.

Burns totaled more than 200 defensive snaps for the Seahawks last season. Pro Football Focus assigned him a stellar coverage grade of 66.6. He allowed a passer rating under 100, and forfeited just 9.6 yards per reception. Burns is Seattle’s best answer to Woolen’s injury in a critical NFC West primetime showdown.

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Several Seahawks defenders at risk of missing TNF vs. 49ers

The Seattle Seahawks must swiftly place Sunday’s disappointing home defeat to the New York Giants behind them. There’s no rest for the wicked as the Seahawks prepare to face the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football. It’s Seattle’s first NFC West showdown of the campaign, and Mike Macdonald’s squad will put its division lead at risk.

The Seahawks held a walkthrough on Monday as opposed to a traditional practice. Several key defenders were limited or missing altogether. Pass rushers Derick Hall (foot) and Uchenna Nwosu (thigh) did not participate, nor did rookie defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (hamstring), and cornerback Riq Woolen (ankle). Boye Mafe (knee), and safeties Julian Love (hamstring) and Rayshawn Jenkins (hand) were limited.

Coach Macdonald has already ruled out Nwosu. Nwosu will miss his sixth consecutive game despite not being placed on IR to begin the season. His injury is obviously taken significantly longer to heal than originally anticipated.

Murphy II is also expected to remain sidelined on Thursday due to the quick turnaround. Murphy was injured in the Week 3 victory over the Miami Dolphins. The former Texas Longhorns standout has recorded half a sack and seven pressures this season as a first-year contributor.

Hall and Woolen should see their statuses updated during Tuesday’s practice. Hall leads the Seahawks in sacks with five quarterback takedowns, so his participation on Thursday is imperative. Woolen is Seattle’s No. 1 cornerback and his absence would leave the secondary susceptible to the threats posed by Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel.

Limited participation for Mafe, Love, and Jenkins indicates they’re on track to play Thursday, but their practice involvement will be worth monitoring on Tuesday and Wednesday.

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3 Bold predictions for Seahawks defense vs. Dolphins in Week 3

The Seattle Seahawks will be playing against a backup quarterback on Sunday. The Miami Dolphins will be without Tua Tagovailoa versus Seattle in Week 3. Tagovailoa is dealing with another scary-looking concussion and will be replaced in the lineup by Skylar Thompson.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald must be relishing his opportunity to prepare for an inexperienced quarterback like Thompson. This offers Macdonald’s unit an advantage. We’ve compiled three bold predictions for the defense on Sunday.

Seahawks force 3 total turnovers

Thompson has struggled with protecting the football throughout his short career. The seventh-round quarterback out of Kansas State committed seven total turnovers in eight appearances in 2022, the last time he saw extended action. The Seahawks have forced three turnovers in two contests, and will be looking to add to their takeaway total on Sunday.

Devon Witherspoon gets his first interception of 2024

Cornerback Riq Woolen and safety Julian Love have the Seahawks’ only interceptions this season. Superstar corner Devon Witherspoon picked off just one pass as a rookie in 2023, and is looking to create more turnovers as a sophomore. Witherspoon will be lurking underneath the coverage on Sunday and trying to bait Thompson into a mistake.

Seahawks sack Thompson 4+ times

The Seahawks have recorded a league-average five sacks thus far. Breakout edge defender Boye Mafe leads the defense with two quarterback takedowns. Expect Macdonald to field an aggressive defensive front against Thompson, who has struggled with holding onto the football in the past. The Seahawks could rack up four-or-more sacks.

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Seahawks Week 2 injury report: TE Noah Fant a full participant

The Seattle Seahawks are getting ready to play the New England Patriots in Week 2. Unfortunately, their injury report is considerably longer than it was in Week 1, and there was not much change from Wednesday to Thursday when it came to player participation or not.

The one improvement is the fact tight end Noah Fant went from being limited in Wednesday to being a full participant in practice on Thursday. Unless a major setback were to happen, it’s clear Fant is on track to play in New England this weekend.

The full injury report can be seen below.

Did Not Participate in Practice:

RB Kenneth Walker III – Oblique
T George Fant – Knee
LB Uchenna Nwosu – Knee
TE Pharaoh Brown – Foot

Limited Participation:

LB Tyrel Dodson – Shoulder
WR Tyler Lockett – Thigh
LB Jerome Baker – Hamstring
LB Dre’Mont Jones – Hamstring
CB Riq Woolen – Hamstring
CB Tre Brown – Quadricep

Full Participation:

TE Noah Fant – Toe
G Laken Tomlinson – Ankle
G Anthony Bradford – Knee

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Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen were force multipliers for Seahawks in Week 1 win

The defense is expected to be a strength of the 2024 Seattle Seahawks team and that expectation was reality in Sunday’s 26-20 Week 1 victory over the Denver Broncos. First-year head coach Mike Macdonald is a defensive-minded leader that brought a creative scheme with him from Baltimore. Unsurprisingly, Macdonald’s defense gave Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix fits all afternoon long.

The Broncos gained just 231 yards of total offense and went 5-of-18 on third downs. The Broncos punted on eight occasions, were whistled for eight penalties overall, and committed three total turnovers.

Seahawks cornerbacks Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon were standout performers on defense. Pro Football Focus dropped a social media graphic that has Woolen and Witherspoon with a combined defensive grade of 90.1. Their combined passer rating allowed was just 14.6.

Breaking down their individual performances, Woolen allowed two receptions on six targets for just 17 yards en route to an elite coverage grade of 85.2. Woolen recorded his first interception of the season on an ill-advised attempt by Nix. The former fifth-round selection allowed 8.5 yards per catch and a passer rating of 2.8.

Witherspoon was equally as impressive. The former Illinois standout forfeited three catches on six targets for 17 yards, a minuscule 5.7 yards per reception. Witherspoon allowed a passer rating of 56.3 and earned himself a top-notch coverage grade of 80.1.

Woolen and Witherspoon will relish their opportunities against the New England Patriots in Week 2. With all due respect, Jacoby Brissett is a lower-level starting quarterback, and his pass-catching corps is young and inexperienced. Seattle’s starting cornerbacks should continue thriving.

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