Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

Seahawks receive brutal injury update on rising defensive star

Originally posted on NFL Analysis Network
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated 5/24/23

The Seattle Seahawks are looking to build upon their surprising 2022 season and are in a position to make another leap during the 2023 campaign. They have foundational pieces on both sides of the ball and a lot of young, up-and-coming talent. One of those talented players is cornerback Tariq Woolen.

Woolen, a fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of UTSA, burst onto the scene as a rookie. He tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions and earned a Pro Bowl nomination. He looks like he will be leading the Seahawks secondary for years to come, but he is facing a frustrating hurdle this offseason.

Injuries are the worst part of the game and Woolen has suffered one. He hurt his knee while walking on the field for the Seahawks OTAs last week and the injury ended up being relatively serious. After meeting with doctors that reviewed the injury, it was determined that Woolen had to undergo surgery.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, that surgery took place on Tuesday. He underwent the procedure in Houston and early reports are positive. The surgery went as well as the doctors could have hoped according to a source that spoke to ESPN.

Seahawks’ Pro-Bowl CB Tariq Woolen, a 2022 fifth-round pick who tied for the league lead in interceptions during his rookie year, underwent arthroscopic knee surgery today that is expected to sideline him until training camp, league sources told me and @BradyHenderson. pic.twitter.com/O9hoqXb0iC
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 23, 2023

Luckily for Woolen and the Seahawks, he should be ready to go once training camp gets underway at the end of July. While he is expected to be cleared, Seattle is going to proceed with caution when it comes to getting him back out on the field.

As long as he can get some work in, there will be no reason to rush him. He will have all of August to ramp up his activity in preparation for the regular season. It just means that there will be a delay in seeing him and 2023 first-round pick, Devon Witherspoon, on the field together.

Witherspoon was selected No. 5 overall with the pick that the Seahawks acquired from the Denver Broncos in the Russell Wilson blockbuster deal. He and Woolen have the potential to create a new Legion of Boom in Seattle.

The team also re-signed Artie Burns to a one-year deal to add some more depth to the secondary. Burns spent last season with Seattle but played sparingly behind Woolen and Mike Jackson, playing only 16 defensive snaps.

This article first appeared on NFL Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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