Minnesota Vikings Should Explore a Big Trade out West
While the Minnesota Vikings sit at 2-2 right now through four weeks of the 2025 campaign and don’t feel like a genuine Super Bowl contender, the team may have the option to explore a trade for Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen.
Riq Woolen could be available to the Minnesota Vikings and 30 other teams, and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah should explore his trade cost before the deadline.
A couple of unsung Seahawks corners have emerged as of late, and in a contract year for Woolen, he could be expendable in Seattle’s long-term plans.
And, yes, Minnesota should inquire about Seattle’s asking price.
Riq Woolen Could Be Gettable for the Minnesota Vikings
The trade deadline is about six weeks away, and Woolen may be shipped elsewhere.
Tariq Woolen Could Be on the Trade Block
Woolen may find a new NFL address before too long. Seattle has promoted playing time for CBs Devon Witherspoon, Josh Jobe, and the upstart Derion Kendrick over Woolen.
NFL.com‘s Bobby Kownack wrote last week, “NFL teams plan to keep an eye on a Pro Bowl cornerback potentially becoming available in Seattle. Clubs are monitoring Seahawks CB Riq Woolen as a possible trade target by the deadline, which this year falls on Nov. 4, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo reported Sunday, per sources.”
“Rapoport added that Woolen’s playing time should decrease now that Devon Witherspoon, who returned from a two-game absence for Thursday night’s 23-20 win over the Cardinals, is healthy, and other organizations believe the fourth-year corner could be attainable in the final year of his rookie deal.”
Needing a cornerback or two for 2025 and beyond, the aforementioned Adofo-Mensah should sniff around Seattle’s trade price.
Why the Vikings Should Poke around the Trade Sweepstakes
Believe it or not, trading for Woolen wouldn’t wholly focus on 2025. Beyond this season might be the wise play.
Cornerback Jeff Okudah signed a one-year deal back in March, and to date, he hasn’t done much of anything with the purple team. Woolen, meanwhile, will be a free agent next offseason if Seattle doesn’t extend his contract, so Minnesota may have the opportunity to buy low via trade and forge a relationship for the long term.
Here’s Woolen’s Pro Football Focus resume through four games of 2025:
2022: 71.6
2023: 67.1
2024: 67.9
2025: 40.4
Minnesota’s Currents CBs
Where would Woolen fit in the Vikings’ current defense? Probably around CB3 — taking Okudah’s job.
These are Minnesota’s cornerbacks at the moment:
- CB1: Byron Murphy Jr.
- CB2: Isaiah Rodgers
- CB3: Jeff Okudah
- CB4: Dwight McGlothern
- PS: Fabian Moreau
- PS: Zemaiah Vaughn
- PS: Tyrek Funderburk
A Woolen trade would allow him to rather easily swipe Okudah’s job and make it his own. And after 2025, Minnesota would roll into the 2026 offseason with Murphy Jr., Rodgers, and Woolen at the top of the ticket.
Woolen’s Size Especially Valuable and Trade Price
Woolen is 6’4″ and 200 pounds. The Vikings don’t really feature big CBs, and through defensive coordinator Brian Flores‘ history, he indeed covets big, physical corners. Woolen is one of those.
On a trade price, NFL deals are notoriously difficult to predict. For example, most speculated that Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers would involve multiple 1st-Round picks and impact players. Green Bay landed him for mere pennies compared to Parsons’ value.
But generally speaking, because Woolen has not set the world on fire in 2025, Minnesota might be able to get away with sending a 5th-Rounder to Seattle for Woolen’s services. Maybe a 4th-Round pick in a bidding war. Then, if Flores could return Woolen to his 2022-2024 form, the swap would be a steal of a deal.
Seattle Sports’ Take on Woolen
Cameron Van Til of Seattle Sports opined on Woolen last week: “Over the course of his up-and-down career, Woolen has flashed top-tier talent with his rare combination of speed, length and athleticism. He totaled 11 interceptions and 41 pass breakups over his first three seasons, while also ranking among the top 15 cornerbacks in opposing completion percentage in both 2022 and 2024.”
“But on the flip side, Woolen also surrendered 12 touchdown passes between 2022 and 2024, which is tied for 15th-most in the league over that span. He also appeared to get benched for a late-season game in 2023. And last year, he was benched for the opening drive of a key Week 16 game against the Minnesota Vikings due to what head coach Mike Macdonald said was a violation of team rules.”
Woolen is in the prime of his career at age 26.
“Aside from Witherspoon, Jobe and Woolen, the other cornerbacks on Seattle’s 53-man roster are Derion Kendrick and Nehemiah Pritchett. Kendrick, who was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Rams last month, has two interceptions and five pass breakups this season,” Van Til continued.
“Pritchett has mostly played on special teams. The Seahawks also have a pair of cornerbacks on their practice squad in veteran Shaquill Griffin and Shemar Jean-Charles.”
The NFL’s trade deadline is November 4th, and Adofo-Mensah is usually good for at least one trade before it.
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