The NFL Trade Deadline is less than 24 hours away, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, sitting at 6-2 atop the AFC North, are rumored to be buyers at the deadline. Of course, Omar Khan and company find themselves in the hunt for another wide receiver. However, there could be another position at which they’re looking to add a final piece to make a postseason push: cornerback.

In Patrick Graham’s inaugural season with the club, he’s fielded a top-ten unit despite losing his top coverage specialist, Joey Porter Jr., before the regular season even began. Since his departure to the Dallas Cowboys, they’ve been able to patch things together to the point of relying heavily on zone coverage, which has allowed them to reach league average in dropback success rate. With that being said, there have been some warning signs on tape that might suggest tougher days ahead once the competition stiffens.

So, if the Steelers are going to make a move, it really needs to be someone who has a chance to move the needle on the back end. When perusing the reported available names, there’s only one that stands out in that fashion: Philadelphia Eagles corner Riq Woolen. The 27-year-old played a big role in helping the Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl last season before signing a one-year, $15 million deal elsewhere in free agency. The transition to Vic Fangio’s scheme hasn’t been seamless, and with everything in the organization going the opposite of according to plan, Howie Roseman is the type to open up the auction house.

Woolen is at his best in press coverage, where he can use his 97th-percentile wingspan to disrupt the timing of the release and latch on to wide receivers. He understands how to compress space along the sideline and has the speed to stay in phase on vertical routes, but his acceleration and closing burst really pop when you see him undercut crossers/in-breakers from initial outside leverage. His hips are way more fluid than you’d expect from this archetype. He can play from a pedal, click-and-close on throws underneath, and has shown the ability to bait quarterbacks into mistakes from a tight third alignment with his back to the sideline.

His aggressiveness can lead to his own demise at times because teams will game-plan double moves in his direction, knowing that he will trigger from off-coverage. His technique in press has come a long way since his days as a prospect, but he can get put on his heels in the low red zone against crafty route runners. A lot of this really comes down to eye discipline, and as a defensive coordinator, you want to make sure he’s attacking instead of reacting. Lastly, there are some notable maturity question marks that present potential red flags: he’s prone to post-snap penalties and can get into his own head after negative plays, causing things to spiral.

There is no disputing that Woolen has not played up to his standard with the Eagles this season. Some of the weaknesses listed above have shown up. He’s still forcing tight-window throws at a high rate (34% per Next Gen Stats—nearly identical to his 2025 figure), but he’s also gotten dunked on at the catch point a couple of times. Other critical factors outside of his control are worth considering here, mainly the fact that the Eagles currently rank 30th in pressure rate and 29th in time to pressure, according to Sumer Sports. Not to mention, he’s not spending as much time near the line of scrimmage compared to years past.

It’s worth remembering that Woolen finished 2025 with a staggering 0.61 yards per coverage snap, third-best among all starters leaguewide, just ahead of Jamel Dean. He brings alignment and matchup versatility that a guy like Asante Samuel Jr. just can’t provide because of his size. When the playoffs roll around, matchups are paramount as game plans become that much more hyper-specific. Assuming the Steelers’ original plan was to have Porter operate as the boundary cornerback, Woolen could certainly offer a facsimile of that, allowing the Steelers to lean into a bit more man coverage when needed and poach the safety to the passing strength versus trips in split-field coverages.

Opposing quarterbacks have been able to matriculate the ball down the field during stretches because of how soft the cushions are on the outside. Adding a press corner like Woolen would allow Graham to flip the script, dictate the terms, and force quarterbacks to hold on to the ball a tick longer. That’s the type of complementary football they’ll need come January if the offense isn’t able to add another playmaking weapon to boost its passing game. If the cost is a fifth- or sixth-round selection, this is a swing worth taking.