The Bucs head into the offseason with multiple question marks in the secondary, with cornerback being the biggest. General manager Jason Licht understandably did not commit to cornerback Jamel Dean’s future in Tampa Bay at the 2025 NFL Combine and said the team would “evaluate the landscape” when deciding whether Dean will be back next season.
If he’s traded or released, suddenly the room has just one starting-caliber cornerback in Zyon McCollum. Licht could always dip into free agency or draft another corner in the 2025 NFL Draft, but what if he acquired a promising young player on the trade market to pair with McCollum for years to come?
Seahawks CB Riq Woolen Is An Intriguing Trade Candidate For The Bucs
There’s been a lot of trade chatter around the Seahawks as of late, as wide receiver D.K. Metcalf just requested a trade on Wednesday afternoon. That was even before Seattle dealt starting quarterback Geno Smith to Las Vegas on Friday evening. Following Smith, Metcalf could quickly be on the move, and cornerback Riq Woolen could join them.
Drafted just four spots before Zyon McCollum was selected by the Bucs in the 2022 NFL Draft, Woolen burst onto the scene in his rookie year. The 6-foot-4 cornerback immediately appeared to be the next Richard Sherman, but the team could look to move on from him after he has not made quite the same impact since.
Still productive, Woolen’s interception totals dropped to two in 2023 and three in 2024. Tampa Bay’s secondary would still welcome that production, and his 25 passes defended over the past two seasons point to how he keeps his nose around the football. With his fit in head coach Mike Macdonald’s defense coming into question, Pro Football Network recently outlined him as someone Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles might be intrigued to acquire.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a fairly steady perimeter cornerback duo of Zyon McCollum and Dean last season. However, Dean has had a tough time staying on the field and has missed multiple games in all six seasons (including a career-high five games missed last year).
Should the Bucs choose to trade Dean and save a little over $8 million in cap space, one alternative could be acquiring Seahawks corner Riq Woolen in his place. Woolen is in the last year of his rookie contract and set to count $5.3 million against the cap for Seattle.
However, Woolen wasn’t the cleanest fit with Mike Macdonald. He allowed a career-high five touchdowns in coverage and saw his yards per completion rise from 9.4 in 2023 to 11.1 in 2024. Two years ago, the Bucs and Seahawks had much more similar coverage tendencies, and Woolen ranked fifth in the league with 5.4 yards per target allowed.
He still has plenty of promise, so although a trade cost wouldn’t be exorbitant with only one year of team control, Woolen would likely require a Day 2 pick. At the very least, the Seahawks would likely require the Bucs to match what the Chiefs got for L’Jarius Sneed (who was already off his rookie contract and on the franchise tag). In that deal, the Titans gave up a third-rounder two years out.
Bucs Would Have To Invest In Riq Woolen, But It Could Pay Off Handsomely
As the above scenario details, a potential trade for Riq Woolen likely means sacrificing a third-round pick in a future draft and extending him afterward. It comes with some risk with the Bucs already having to extend Zyon McCollum before next offseason. Trading for Woolen would only put more pressure on the front office to secure its key pieces, especially when they do not like losing out on the chance to draft them to begin with.
The payoff though?
Locking up the cornerback position with two uber-athletic, long-term pieces.
Todd Bowles is fond of McCollum and has overseen his development from a backup to a No. 1 cornerback. Woolen is equally athletic and would immediately give Bowles two rangy players on opposite sides that are strong fits in his zone defense scheme. Turning 26 years old before next season, Woolen’s best football is likely ahead of him and his interception total has the chance to rise back to its 2022 levels.
The Bucs could always look to add a veteran corner in free agency or find another diamond in the rough in the NFL Draft, but getting a known commodity ready to plug in and play has the chance to pay off handsomely.
Would you like to see a trade for Riq Woolen happen? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
