As the New England Patriots struggled to contain Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears’ dynamic passing attack last Thursday night, it became abundantly clear what head coach Mike Vrabel should prioritize ahead of the NFL’s Nov. 10 trade deadline.
Most NFL experts are linking the team to defensive linemen or offensive skill position upgrades. But what they really need is another veteran cornerback, particularly one with size who can help fill in on the boundary if either Christian Gonzalez or Carlton Davis misses time.
There’s a current starter for the Philadelphia Eagles right now who checks just about every box.
Riq Woolen, a former fifth-round draft pick and Super Bowl champion as a member of the Seattle Seahawks, could be available at the deadline, per ESPN’s Bill Barnwell. The 6-foot-4 corner is having a strong season opposite Quinyon Mitchell, but with Philly teetering following the loss of quarterback Jalen Hurts, GM Howie Roseman could be working the phones over the next couple of weeks.
New England’s front office has already pulled off one big trade with Roseman this league year, acquiring wide receiver A.J. Brown on June 1. If Woolen, who signed a one-year deal with the Eagles this offseason, is available, Foxboro feels like the perfect destination.
Riq Woolen could give the Patriots the boundary depth their defense desperately needs
The Patriots have some promising young pieces on their cornerback depth chart in Charles Woods, Channing Canada, and Karon Prunty, but Woolen represents the kind of upgrade that could help fuel another deep playoff run.
Injuries at the position have forced Marcus Jones, who typically excels for the Patriots in the slot, to play on the outside at a rate that’s currently projected to be his highest amount since his rookie year in 2022.
The 5-foot-8 Jones has been picked on often this season when matched up against bigger tight ends and wide receivers. Per Pro Football Focus, he has the highest missed tackle rate of his career and is currently allowing a 114.2 passer rating when targeted.
Jones is a gamer and one of the Patriots’ most important players, but the secondary is at its best when he is locking down opposing slot receivers.
Woolen represents a solution.
He hasn’t been perfect, which is why Barnwell mused that he could be traded midseason, but Woolen is a gamer. He currently leads all NFL cornerbacks in total defensive snaps with 425, per PFF.
What he would give the Patriots is a third quality cover corner behind Gonzalez and Davis, who have missed a combined six games this season. Coming from Mike Macdonald’s system in Seattle, he’s probably best deployed in zone-heavy schemes, Barnwell wrote, and while the Patriots play man at the third-highest rate in football, they still play zone on 63% of their snaps.
Caleb Williams so far vs. the #Patriots zone coverages: 7-10, 117 yards. Pats playing 66.7% zone.
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) October 23, 2026
Through that lens, Woolen could double as high-end veteran depth, as well as a situational chess piece in matchups that call for more zone or the need for size in the secondary.
“During his time in Seattle, he allowed a 70.6 passer rating in coverage, making the Pro Bowl as a rookie,” Barnwell wrote recently. “While Woolen can be susceptible to double moves and is tied with L'Jarius Sneed for the most penalties committed by a defensive player since the start of 2022, cornerbacks with his coverage ability and size (6-foot-4) aren't easy to find, especially in the middle of an NFL season. He's going to be best in a zone scheme where he can use that frame to take away throwing lanes on quick routes and make it difficult for quarterbacks to fit passes over the top.”
The Patriots shouldn't have to break the bank to make a Riq Woolen trade happen
As for the potential cost? Woolen feels gettable for the Patriots, who surprisingly passed on adding at last year’s trade deadline.
The Patriots would need to clear some cap space, as they’re currently up against it with an estimated $2.5 million available, per Over the Cap. But they could create that necessary room in a variety of ways.
Thanks to Roseman’s style with short-term free agents, the bulk of Woolen’s $12 million base salary for 2026 has already been paid out. An acquiring team after Week 9 would owe Woolen around $3 million in remaining base salary, according to Spotrac.
The compensation should also be reasonable, although you always want to be careful when dealing with Roseman. The trade idea Barnwell initially proposed for ESPN was Woolen and a 2028 sixth-round pick to the Panthers for tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders and a 2028 fifth-rounder. If we’re talking about some form of pick swap in a draft that’s still basically two years away, the Patriots should be in.
To Barnwell’s point, Woolen has been short of elite for the Eagles this season. But he ranks 21st out of 102 corners based on PFF’s grading system, and he feels like a great fit for the Patriots as a No. 3 boundary corner.
Injuries have been an ongoing story this season and New England has some tough games looming on its schedule. Woolen is the type of trade target who would make a lot of sense, both in terms of fit and contract.
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