RENTON — Riq Woolen’s future with the Seattle Seahawks remains uncertain, but for now he’s expected to remain in the starting lineup.
When the Seahawks face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Woolen is likely to start at cornerback as the secondary continues to deal with injuries.
On Friday, the team ruled out starter Devon Witherspoon (knee) and safety Julian Love (hamstring). That means Seattle will be missing at least one key starter or major contributor in the secondary for the fifth straight game.
Also unavailable are defensive end Demarcus Lawrence (quad) and offensive line backup Josh Jones (ankle). Rookie safety Nick Emmanwori, however, is set to return after missing three games with a high ankle sprain.
With Witherspoon sidelined, Woolen is expected to start on the outside opposite Josh Jobe, while Derion Kendrick handles the nickel role.
“I’m excited to see him play,” head coach Mike Macdonald said of Woolen. “It’s a big opportunity for him.”
Last week against Arizona, Jobe got the start ahead of Woolen, sparking questions about Woolen’s role moving forward. Those questions grew after an NFL Network report noted that other teams were monitoring whether Seattle might make Woolen available before the Nov. 4 trade deadline.
Still, Witherspoon’s absence ensures Woolen significant playing time. He has logged 96.7% of defensive snaps this season, the third-highest total on the roster.
Macdonald praised Woolen’s work this week in practice: “It’s about the process with Riq… he’s doing exactly what we want through the week.”
Woolen said his approach hasn’t changed: “As long as I’m able to play, that’s all I’m looking forward to. The coaches trust me to do my job, so I’ve just got to take advantage of my opportunity.”
At safety, Ty Okada will start next to Coby Bryant with Love sidelined again by a hamstring issue. Okada filled in earlier this season against the Saints, playing every snap in a 44–13 victory. Emmanwori should also get reps in a rotational role now that he’s healthy.
“Nick’s going to play,” Macdonald said. “How much depends on the flow of the game, but we’ve got a plan for him.”
With Lawrence unavailable, Mike Morris should see more time at defensive end, and rookie Jared Ivey could be activated for only his second game.
Macdonald added that none of the injuries are expected to be long-term or require an IR stint.
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