The Philadelphia Eagles may have already found the best signing of their entire offseason, and it came on a one-year deal. Cornerback Riq Woolen stood out from the very first day of spring workouts and never stopped, according to Eagles reporters who were at practice. Every single day, the same name kept coming up. Riq Woolen. The Eagles secondary, already anchored by Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, once again has a legitimate No. 2 corner who could elevate this group into historic territory.

Let’s peel back the layers here for a second. The Eagles go out and sign a guy on a one-year contract, a former Pro Bowl corner out of Seattle, and it might end up being the best move Howie Roseman made this offseason. When they talked to defensive coordinator Vic Fangio about the signing, the first thing he said was that they were trying to get Woolen last year. He was in Seattle. There were reports that the Seahawks were unhappy and trying to move him, but they stayed the course. Woolen helped them in the postseason, won a Super Bowl, and then somehow Roseman pulled off a one-year deal to bring him to Philadelphia.

Fangio expressed disbelief at the value, saying he didn’t know how they got Woolen for just one year. But once he started watching the tape, it was clear. Woolen has a ton of talent.

The cornerback trio could be franchise-level special

So bye-bye Adoree’ Jackson, here comes Riq Woolen. And Woolen is already dominating in Eagles practice before training camp even starts. If Philadelphia gets this type of production from Woolen and he lives up to being a legitimate starting corner, the Eagles are going to have the best cornerback trio in the NFL. I would argue they may have one of the best cornerback trios in franchise history.

We know how special Mitchell is. We know what he’s able to do as a No. 1 lockdown corner. He’s already a top-5 corner in the game. We know what DeJean is able to do as a Swiss Army knife. Put him in the slot, put him on the outside, he can play a little safety as well. You can move him all around. Great tackler, great instincts. Both of those guys helped anchor the Eagles defense as rookies to win a Super Bowl.

And you remember what this defense looked like a couple years ago with Big Play Slay. Even last year, I would argue Fangio was able to elevate Jackson as the season went on and got a lot more out of him than people expected. Now you bring in a guy like Woolen who has been towering over everybody at practice. He has the frame. He has the skills. He has all the physical attributes you want.

The one knock on Woolen, and why it won’t matter in Philadelphia

The only real concern with Woolen over the years has been his drive, his aggressiveness getting a little too out of hand. Sometimes he gets carried away with penalties, and there have been moments where his attitude has gotten him in trouble. But playing under Fangio, I don’t see that being an issue. Fangio is going to get him in check immediately, and this Eagles defensive culture is built for accountability.

Based on natural talent alone, NFL analysts have said Woolen is one of the most skilled corners in the league. He just needs to put it all together. So a guy who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, had some ups and downs over the years, but definitely had high moments last season and helped Seattle win a Super Bowl is now your starting No. 2 corner. You went from Adoree’ Jackson to Riq Woolen. That is a significant upgrade.

It’s hard to know how teams are going to throw the ball against Philadelphia next season. Obviously, the Eagles still have to lock in the safety positions and iron that out. But on the outside with Mitchell, Woolen, and DeJean, I just don’t see how opposing offenses are going to attack that through the air.

Woolen can pull in the ball, he can pick off quarterbacks, and he’s a solid tackler. This is going to be the best situation of his career, and the Eagles got him for a bargain. Howie Roseman continues to find ways to upgrade this roster without breaking the bank, and if Woolen plays anywhere close to the level he’s flashing in spring workouts, the rest of the NFC will have a huge problem to solve.