Tag: Riq Woolen

5 reported Seahawks roster moves going into Week 3

Here’s a review of all the reports this week concerning the Seahawks.

The Seattle Seahawks have been extremely busy over the last couple of days based on what we’ve read from NFL reporters around the league. While the team hasn’t officially announced any of them yet, there are now at least five moves coming – with heavy speculation about one more to come.

The rumors concern second-year cornerback Riq Woolen, who injured his shoulder in Sunday’s overtime win over the Detroit Lions. While head coach Pete Carroll told reporters a few days ago that Woolen will be “OK”, that’s Pete-Carroll code for likely to miss the next four or five weeks due to a significant injury that requires surgery. Hopefully that’s not the case this time, but we’ll find out one way or another soon.

Here’s a review of all the reports this week concerning the Seahawks.

Pete Carroll on shoulder injury for Riq Woolen: ‘He’ll be OK’

head coach Pete Carroll sounded unconcerned about the severity of Woolen’s injury.

The Seahawks got away with a win, but they did not come out of their Week 2 matchup with the Lions unscathed. Seattle suffered at least two injuries during the game. Wide receiver DK Metcalf took a shot to the ribs as he made a superb catch at the one-yard line. He left the field and was listed as questionable, but he did eventually return to the game.

Cornerback Riq Woolen also went down – going down in the second quarter with what the team called a chest injury. Woolen was also listed as questionable but he did not return. Tre Brown took his place at right cornerback the rest of the way, securing a clutch pick-six at one point.

After the game, head coach Pete Carroll sounded unconcerned about the severity of Woolen’s now-shoulder injury, telling reporters he’d be OK.

Then again, we can’t necessarily take what Carroll says about injuries at face value. Sometimes when he downplays an injury the player might miss the next seven weeks after undergoing surgery. When Carroll does express concern, they might only miss three days of practice.

Time will tell which is the case for Woolen.

More Seahawks Wire stories

NFL Power Rankings going into Week 3

5 takeaways from Seattle’s OT win in Detroit

Studs and duds for the Seahawks from Week 2

DK Metcalf and Riq Woolen both questionable to return vs. Lions

This time, the two best athletes on the roster have gotten hurt.

The game is still very much up for grabs, but the Seahawks’ luck with injuries continues to trend in the wrong direction. This time, the two best athletes on the roster have gotten hurt. We’re early in the second quarter of a 7-7 game against the Lions, and both wide receiver DK Metcalf and cornerback Riq Woolen have suffered injuries.

First, Metcalf got sandwiched between two Detroit defenders at the goal line after a brilliant catch and took a shot to the ribs. Later, Metcalf was spotted heading to the locker room as Tyler Lockett went over to check on him.

Metcalf is now listed as questionable to return.

Pro Bowl cornerback Riq Woolen is also dealing with an upper body injury of his own. Woolen is in the blue medical tent getting evaluated and has also been listed as questionable to return. They’re calling it a chest injury.

If that wasn’t bad enough, Seattle’s pass rush has come out flat yet again and Jared Goff looks to be on pace for a big game.

More as it comes.

More Seahawks Wire stories

4 best prop bets for Seattle and Detroit

2024 QBs may be too good to pass on

Riq Woolen may be the answer for Seahawks against Amon-Ra St. Brown

Perhaps this week he can match-up with St. Brown slow him down.

The high-powered Detroit Lions offense will be looking to scorch the Seattle Seahawks in the passing game this week, so stopping star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown needs to be defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt’s primary agenda this weekend.

St. Brown had a field day in Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs, totaling 71 yards and one touchdown. However, the Seahawks have something KC doesn’t in Pro Bowl cornerback Riq Woolen. Perhaps this week he can matchup with St. Brown and slow him down.

Seattle’s social team decided to recollect Woolen’s interception against the Lions last season earlier this week on Instagram. Perhaps deploying Woolen as the primary defender on St. Brown will help the Seahawks defense spend less time on the field this Sunday.

(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Schematically, Seattle needs to abandon that soft cover 2 zone we saw against the Los Angeles Rams and revert to more man coverage with blitzing.

Woolen and other key defenders will also have to step up, as Seattle’s defense was absolutely null and void in Week 1 and heading into Week 2 linebacker Bobby Wagner has been vocal about increased expectations. 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Seattle Seahawks (@seahawks)

Despite Detroit’s upset victory over the reigning champs, the Lions weren’t particularly great on third-down (5/15) last week. Maybe this week the Seahawks will make a statement and pull off an upset of their own.

More Seahawks Wire stories

4 best prop pets for Seahawks, Lions

PFF grades for every QB1 in Week 1

Riq Woolen named among top 25 most intriguing NFL players in 2023

Seahawks defensive back Riq Woolen will enter his second season in the NFL with high-acclaim and rightfully so.

Seattle Seahawks defensive back Riq Woolen will enter his second season in the NFL with high-acclaim and rightfully so. Earlier this week, editors at The Athletic named Woolen one of the top 25 most intriguing NFL players to watch for in 2023 with sentiments like the one below.

“Woolen is immensely talented and versatile and boasts great smarts and anticipation skills.” via. Mike Jones The Athletic

Woolen’s six interception, three forced fumbles, and one touchdown rookie-season has Seahawks fans eagerly anticipating the sequel. With Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp ruled out for Week 1, Woolen will likely line up across from Van Jefferson, Demarcus Robinson, or other backups.

Not only will the Rams need to to overcome feverish Seahawks fans at Lumen Field in week 1, they’ll have to be cautious when throwing in the direction of one of the NFL’s best ball hawks in Woolen.

(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

More Seahawks Wire stories

7 bold predictions for Seattle going into the 2023 NFL season

6 biggest questions for the Seahawks going into 2023 season

Seahawks announced 5 roster moves before Monday practice

Tre Brown listed as starter on Seahawks Week 1 depth chart

On the other side of the ball, the biggest change is at cornerback.

The Seahawks have released their first (for real) depth chart of the 2023 season ahead of Sunday’s home game against the Rams. This new version is very much the same as the one the team revealed at the start of the preseason. However, there are a couple notable differences.

For one thing, Will Dissly is no longer alone at the top of the depth chart at tight end. He and Noah Fant are now occupying the same No. 1 spot at that position. On the other side of the ball, the biggest change is at cornerback, where Tre Brown is now listed as the starter on the left boundary as opposed to Mike Jackson.

Brown has missed much of the last two seasons (he’s only appeared in 11 games total) due to injuries. However, he performed well during the preseason – particularly in coverage – as Jackson struggled.

Fans should expect to see opposing quarterbacks go after Brown a lot as they learn to avoid the athletic ball hawk Pro Bowler on the other side in Riq Woolen. If Brown doesn’t work out Seattle still has plenty of depth at left cornerback and either Jackson or Devon Witherspoon might end up taking over at that spot during the season.

More Seahawks Wire stories

6 biggest questions going into 2023

5 roster moves announced Monday

Seahawks injury updates: Ken Walker, Olu Oluwatimi, Dee Eskridge, more

Head coach Pete Carroll gave some injury updates after practice.

The Seattle Seahawks held another training camp practice yesterday, two days removed from their first preseason game of the year, a 24-13 victory over the non-division rival Minnesota Vikings.

Head coach Pete Carroll gave some injury updates after practice. Here’s what we learned plus a few takeaways from the beat reporters.

40 Seahawks players who should make the initial 53-man roster

To put it another way, these are the 40 most important players on the team right now.

The Seattle Seahawks will begin their 2023 preseason tomorrow tonight, hosting the Minnesota Vikings at Lumen Field. These three preseason games are all about determining which players will make the team’s initial 53-man roster at the end of the month. There are a couple dozen players who could go either way, but we are pretty sure that these 40 will make the cut.

To put it another way, these are the 40 most important players on the team right now.

Seahawks updated 90-man roster by jersey number going into Preseason

Mark Schlereth: Seahawks DBs deeper than the Legion of Boom

It may sound like blasphemy, but he’s right, keeping in mind that depth wasn’t what made the LOB great.

Yesterday Mark Schlereth was a guest on the Brock and Salk show and made some interesting comments regarding the Seahawks’ roster. For one thing, Schlereth thinks Seattle’s current secondary is deeper than the Legion of Boom was. Watch.

It may sound like blasphemy, but he’s right, keeping in mind that depth wasn’t what made the LOB great – it was three Hall of Famers along with a rotating cast of mostly-forgettable DBs. Brandon Browner, Byron Maxwell and Jeremy Lane all had their good qualities, but there’s a reason why people only think of Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman when they hear LOB.

Meanwhile, this current Seahawks secondary has three Pro-Bowlers in Riq Woolen, Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs. They also have a top-five overall pick in Devon Witherspoon, two respectable corners in Tre Brown and Mike Jackson, a Jim Thorpe award winner with Coby Bryant and the remarkably underrated safety Julian Love.

There are better secondary units around the NFL, but this one has a chance to earn the title of the deepest in the league.

More Seahawks Wire stories

40 Seahawks players who should make the initial 53-man roster

Sights and sounds from Tuesday’s training camp practice

8 things we learned from first unofficial depth chart of 2023

6 key players the Seahawks should rest during preseason

Tariq Woolen ranked top breakout CB for 2023 by Brian Baldinger

Brian Baldinger at NFL Network agrees.

It’s been a while since the Seahawks had one of the top secondaries in the NFL, but the group they’ve put together going into 2023 certainly looks like a top-five unit on paper. Like their Legion of Boom days, Seattle has a few Pro Bowlers on the back end of their defense, including safeties Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams, as well as a top-five overall draft pick in rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon.

However, the rock star of the group is second-year cornerback Riq Woolen, a fifth-round draft pick who took the league by storm as a rookie. While he didn’t win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, Woolen’s athleticism and the potential he showed in 2022 makes him one of the best breakout candidates in the sport.

Brian Baldinger at NFL Network agrees. He has named Woolen the No. 1 breakout candidate at his position going into the 2023 season.

Woolen’s game is still a bit raw as is common for most cornerbacks with his level of experience. Even still, as a rookie he managed to post six interceptions and 16 pass breakups, while only allowing a 51.5% completion rate and just a 48.7 passer rating in coverage. Those are superstar type numbers from a player who still has yet to learn a lot of the finer points of playing his position.

For now DK Metcalf remains the best football player on the team. However, if there’s one guy who has a shot at surpassing him it’s No. 27.

More Seahawks Wire stories

Updated 90-man roster by jersey number going into Preseason

Seahawks training camp: 7 takeaways from Sunday’s practice