The Detroit Lions appeared to fix some of their secondary issues in the dominating victory over the Arizona Cardinals a week ago. Perhaps the Lions are set to make more corrections in pass defense coming off their bye week.
Getting back safety Brian Branch, who could play this Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, will would certainly help.
But the Lions should also remain in the trade market for a cornerback. CBS Sports’s Carter Bahns argued Lions general manager Brad Holmes should be aggressive to make a deal.
On Tuesday, Bahns released a list of 10 NFL trades “that need to happen” before the 2026 NFL trade deadline. Included on the list was Detroit acquiring veteran cornerback Riq Woolen from the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Since the Lions keep scoring at an elite level and own plenty of pieces on the rest of the defense, there might not be a more glaring missing link for a postseason contender than their secondary. They will likely be aggressive at the trade deadline,” wrote Bahns.
“Riq Woolen should be there for the taking as the Eagles potentially tear everything down. He signed with them in March on a one-year contract, and given that he is still in his prime, it seems unlikely that he would re-sign with Philadelphia if they commit to a rebuild.”
Woolen has started six games for the Eagles this season, posting 24 combined tackles, four pass defenses and a forced fumble. The cornerback won the Super Bowl as a member of the Seattle Seahawks defense last season. He also made the Pro Bowl with the Seahawks during 2022.
Why Lions Should Pursue CB Riq Woolen
A lot of Lions fans would probably argue Holmes and “aggressive” don’t really go together. The Detroit GM didn’t make any significant cornerback additions this past spring despite legal trouble with Terrion Arnold appearing to be on the horizon. Branch and fellow safety Kaleb Joseph also didn’t just get injury; they have been out for months, and the team didn’t expect them to play early this season.
Yet, Roger McCreary and Christian Izien were the headline additions the Lions made in the secondary this offseason.
Based on Holmes’s history, it’s not a stretch to say Lions fans have low expectations for this year’s trade deadline. But on paper, Woolen is an ideal potential trade target for multiple reasons.
The veteran cornerback is only on a 1-year deal, so the Lions don’t have to be concerned about fitting Woolen under their cap beyond this season. For this fall, though, he would be an upgrade over D.J. Reed, Ennis Rakestraw and Detroit’s other cornerbacks.
Woolen was tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions during his Pro Bowl campaign. He also had 16 pass defenses with one tackle for loss in 2022. He hasn’t been back to the Pro Bowl since then, but Woolen averaged 12.3 pass defenses and two interceptions per season from 2023-25.
Last season, he had 41 combined tackles, 12 pass defenses and one pick.
Woolen should be available because he’s on an expiring deal with a team showing signs they won’t contend this season. The Eagles have lost four straight and have a plethora of star players sidelined with injuries.
If the Lions want to pursue a cornerback trade to immediately help their team, Woolen should be an obvious target.
Lions Urged to Take Action With Aggressive CB Trade at NFL Deadline