The Indianapolis Colts have gone from the darling story of the NFL, early on, to now having the football world start to truly pay attention. In what world does Daniel Jones look like an MVP-caliber quarterback?
This one, folks. This one.
Now, in order to continue the momentum and push toward a title this year, the Colts have to call in some reinforcements by the NFL trade deadline. Specifically, Indy needs some help on the defensive side of the ball.
Enter: Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen. Bleacher Report recently tossed out a trade idea that makes a ton of sense as a gamble for Indy.
The Colts could take advantage of Riq Woolen needing a fresh start and swing a deal before the trade deadline
The Colts may rank no. 1 in overall offense, but their pass defense is the fourth-worst unit in football. Adding some help in their secondary would make a massive difference, and Woolen is as polarizing a player as you'll find amid this year's trade whispers.
Yet, the big-bodied outside corner comes with a lethal skill set. When he's on, he's on. At a towering 6-foot-4 and possessing the speed to keep up with just about any receiver, he's a rare breed. The problem has been inconsistent play, and a change of scenery could potentially help alieve those inconsistencies.
Woolen is a known ball hawk. He led the NFL in interceptions as a rookie back in 2022 and earned himself a Pro Bowl bid. Since then, though, he's flirted with the bench, here and there, and the Seahawks appear ready to move on.
There is not much likelihood Seattle re-signs him this coming offseason. Because of that, it makes sense for the Seahawks to get a firm draft pick in return. In this case, it's a third-round pick. That sounds steep, but Indianapolis would make a move like this in effort to try and extend him for the long haul.
Woolen has the talent to be a strong starting cornerback in this league. He may just need a refreshed belief from a new coaching staff. He very well could just be past the point of no return in Seattle, and he's seen others step up and take over starting spots.
At just 26 years old, though, Woolen has plenty of football in front of him. And, he still boasts a ridiculous opposing quarterback rating of just 71.6. The Colts would be taking a risk, but if they got the best version of Woolen, he would provide exactly what this defense needs later on in the season and the playoffs.