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PHILADELPHIA — One thing to keep in mind within the scope of a Vic Fangio press conference is that seemingly every veteran defensive coordinator doesn’t mince words. He doesn’t pull punches.

Fangio has also never been one to sugarcoat and offer hollow praise, so his endorsement of former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen last week qualified as notable.

Woolen, 27, signed a one-year, $12 million deal with the Eagles in March with the expectation of shoring up a spot that last season resembled a revolving door. In Philadelphia, Woolen teams with 2025 All-Pro Quinyon Mitchell to protect the perimeters of Fangio’s defense, while Cooper DeJean – another 2025 All-Pro – is widely regarded as one of the NFL’s premier nickelbacks.

For an offseason in which spending was always expected to be strategic, Woolen represents a calculated swing. It wasn’t long ago, after all, that Woolen appeared on the fast track to stardom on the heels of a rookie season that yielded a Pro Bowl berth. But on-field turbulence mounted throughout his tenure in Seattle, effectively creating an air of mystery around Woolen’s outlook entering free agency.

Paired now alongside two of the league’s top defensive backs, and presided over by Fangio and a talented collection of assistants, the uber-athletic Woolen potentially represents the missing piece needed to nudge the Eagles’ secondary toward elite status.

Could CB Riq Woolen be the missing piece to another Super Bowl run for the Eagles?

Fangio, who twice used the word “excited” when asked about Woolen, hardly offered a reply that could be left up to interpretation.

“I’m excited to have him,” Fangio said. “We looked at him during the middle of the season last year a little bit because they may have been interested in trading him, and we didn’t decide to do it and I didn’t get too involved in the evaluation. But then when it came free agency time this year and I actually sat down and watched him thoroughly, I was excited for him and kind of surprised that he was one of those guys that didn’t get a lot of action for a long-term deal. I was thrilled to get him. I think he’s going to play [well] for us.”

Fangio also revealed his plan to deploy DeJean at safety in base defense. While the Eagles don’t live in base, it’s worth noting because DeJean last season would align on the outside for those handful of snaps. Woolen, at least at the moment, will be trusted to remain on the field.

Adding to the intrigue is that Woolen possesses rare attributes for the cornerback position. The UTSA product has the length of another former Seahawks corner, Brandon Browner, that complements his 4.26 speed and explosive athleticism. The length could be weaponized when it comes to narrowing throwing windows, challenging catch points and bullying wideouts.

For the record, Woolen claims a resume that includes 53 passes defended and 12 interceptions. Due to his surrounding company, Woolen figures to see an uptick in opportunities to add to those totals. But as Fangio will tell you, that appeal isn’t solely tied to Woolen’s measurables; there’s also the footwork and movement component that can sometimes elude longer-limbed defensive backs.

Woolen, he says, is rare.

“He’s a rare guy in that you don’t see many corners in the league that are 6’4″,” Fangio began. “You don’t see many that are 6’2″ or even 6’1” and there’s a reason for that. It’s hard to find guys at those heights that can move and mirror receivers that are hard to cover. He can do that for a guy his height.

“He can get in and out of breaks. He obviously has good downfield speed and his length is more of an asset than a detriment in his case. I’m excited to have him. He’s been here since we started the offseason. Seems to be a great guy. He’s into being here and really looking forward to working with him.”

That said, talents like Woolen don’t typically sign one-year deals. It’s a move that carries significant upside for both Woolen and the team, to be sure, but both parties acknowledged Woolen was available for a reason. At his best, Woolen is a sticky cover man with a penchant for making plays on the football. The down moments reveal inconsistent technique, perhaps overly reliant on his skill set, and at times, on-field composure.

Woolen himself in his introductory press conference mentioned making a concerted to ensure his emotions remain under control, as his most significant infraction might have proved to be exponentially costly for him in free agency and almost negated Seattle’s trip to the Super Bowl.

During the NFC Championship game, late in the third quarter, Woolen had words for the Rams’ sideline after breaking up a 3rd-and-12 pass. He drew a 15-yard taunting penalty, keeping the drive alive. On the ensuing play, Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua found the end zone from 34 yards out, cutting the Seahawks’ lead to four.

“I think he’ll grow out of that,” Fangio said. “We’ll show him plenty of examples. I think it was in the playoff game when they had the one that was most serious and could have been most damaging. If he doesn’t learn from that, I don’t know how he would learn from anything else, but I’m confident he’ll overcome that.”

— Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.