The Las Vegas Raiders have seen plenty of turnover at the cornerback position in 2025 and one analyst believes that might continue in 2026.
Bleacher Report's Alex Ballantine suggested one free agent each NFL team should target in 2026 and he named Seattle Seahawks star cornerback Riq Woolen for the Raiders.
"We already know how Pete Carroll feels about Riq Woolen. He was still in the Pacific Northwest when he was drafted in 2022," Ballentine wrote. "Since then, he has proved himself as a capable starter who can thrive within the coach's defensive philosophy. The 6'4", 210-pound corner would give them a major upgrade in the cornerback room."
The top-three cornerbacks in Las Vegas' room currently are Darien Porter, Eric Stokes and Decamerion Richardson, but there are no guarantees with that trio.
Porter is a rookie and a total wild card at this point, Richardson remains unproven after playing sparingly in 2024 and Stokes is only on a one-year deal and has been disappointing throughout his career.
A former Pro Bowler, Woolen and Raiders head coach Pete Carroll are already quite familiar with one another. Signing the former fifth-round pick, who has proven to be a good starter, would provide a significant boost for Las Vegas.
Riq Woolen's coverage stats
| Year | Completion % | Passer Rating | PFF Coverage Grade | INT | PD |
| 2022 | 51.5 | 48.7 | 77.8 | 6 | 16 |
| 2023 | 57.7 | 79.8 | 75.0 | 2 | 11 |
| 2024 | 52.9 | 76.9 | 65.7 | 3 | 14 |
The Seahawks will almost certainly be interested in bringing Woolen back, and there will be plenty of competition elsewhere for his services.
That said, the Raiders are set to be loaded with cap space in 2026, with Las Vegas projected to have $78.6 million, the third-most in the NFL and over $25 million more than Seattle's projected figure.
That means the Raiders could outbid the Seahawks and almost every other team in the NFL. Seattle will have the option of stopping him from hitting the open market by applying the franchise tag, but it remains to be seen if the Seahawks view Woolen that highly.
The Raiders' interest in Woolen will depend upon how things shake out with their 2025 group, but if two or more of Porter, Richardson and Stokes don't pan out, Woolen could be a top target for Las Vegas in 2026.
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