Riq Woolen had to wait 153 picks until his name was called in the 2022 NFL Draft, but four years later he has set himself up for a huge pay day in 2026 thanks to posting some of the top coverage stats among all cornerbacks this season. But although Woolen has picked up his play in the second half of the season and will be starting for the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl on Sunday, his temperament and somewhat erratic play could help him reach free agency without a new contract before March.
Given that most see cornerback as the top need on the L.A. Rams, should Les Snead cross enemy lines to target Woolen as a free agent in 2026?
Woolen fell to the fifth round of the 2022 draft because he played at UTSA instead of a major college program and he did not make the transition from receiver to cornerback until 2020. So Woolen was a raw cornerback and that gave teams little assurance that he would even make a roster.
However, he was drafted despite that red flag because Woolen is a freak. His nickname is Riq the Freak.
At 6’4, 210 lbs, Woolen ran a 4.26 in the 40-yard dash, one of the all-time great physical profiles for an NFL cornerback. Early in his career, this athleticism allowed Woolen to immediately start for Pete Carroll on the Seahawks as a rookie and he tied for the league-lead with six interceptions in 2022.
Even though Woolen only has six interceptions in the last three seasons combined, his coverage stats are astounding and far outpace any corner or safety on the Rams. Woolen has never allowed 58% completion to passes in his directions in a season (career: 54.2%) and he only allowed 4.8 yards per target in 2025.
That ranked first among all full-time starting cornerbacks.
On the surface, Woolen is a dream addition for a defense.
Below those numbers, however, is the story of a player who may believe that his extremely unique athleticism allows him to get away with being selfish and less disciplined than others.
Rams fans saw this benefit L.A. first hand in the NFC Championship game when Woolen was flagged for taunting the sideline after a third down stop, resulting in a 15-yard penalty that kept the drive alive.
Woolen is one of the most penalized and undisciplined defensive players in the league. There is solid evidence to support the belief that Woolen has been quietly benched by coaches in each of the last three seasons: 2023, 2024, and 2025. That’s despite playing for multiple different coaches, including Carroll and Mike Macdonald.
But eventually something always happens that allows Woolen to return to the starting lineup, usually an injury by someone else, and then he cleans up his act a little bit and is one of the better corners in the league. Although he’s still susceptible to allowing touchdowns, Woolen is also a risk to throw at because he can make up ground in a hurry.
Is he worth the trouble for the Rams?
If Woolen hits free agency, he will have an active market because there’s a dearth of quality corners and he’s one of the best athletes in football.
Although the top cornerbacks now get $30 million per season, that’s only two guys and nobody else makes more than $25 million.
It’s tough to say how much a team will be willing to pay Woolen to secure his services, but a $24 million per year contract is not unimaginable.
For instance, the Cowboys paid DaRon Bland a $22.5m salary. Couldn’t Woolen match that?
Given that the Rams have cap space and a clear need for a cornerback, wooing Woolen to L.A. (and maybe in the process also gaining some intel on the Seahawks) could be a predictable move for Snead. Maybe a four-year, $96 million contract with $48 million guaranteed is something that the Rams would be willing to do.
There won’t be many options out there for starting cornerbacks and maybe no other free agents with his “track” record…so to speak.
However, if Woolen has been benched while making the salary of a fifth round pick, can any team hope to keep him under control when he’s making $24 million? Or is that just throwing gas on the fire?
The Rams may decide no. But it would be a surprise if they don’t kick the tires.
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