Packers Shock the NFL by Targeting Seattle’s Top “No-Fly Zone” Strategist in a Trade That Could Change Everything.QQ
The Green Bay Packers are wasting no time positioning themselves as the league’s most aggressive wheeler-dealers at the 2025 NFL trade deadline, set for November 4, and all signs point to them pulling off another jaw-dropping move. Fresh off a frustrating 40-40 tie against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4—where their cornerbacks were torched for massive yards by Dak Prescott despite missing star receiver CeeDee Lamb—GM Brian Gutekunst is reportedly zeroing in on Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen, the towering 6-foot-4 “No-Fly Zone” architect whose elite ball skills and physical traits could transform Green Bay’s leaky secondary.
Packers fans have every reason to be buzzing: Woolen, a former Pro Bowler who exploded as a rookie with six interceptions and a trip to the Super Bowl, has been in and out of Seattle’s lineup under new head coach Mike Macdonald, sparking widespread trade buzz from insiders like Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Despite a rocky start to 2025 where he’s allowed a staggering 120.1 passer rating when targeted—an outlier from his career highs as a shutdown force—Woolen’s length, speed, and proven instincts make him the perfect plug-and-play solution for a Packers defense desperate for cornerback reinforcements after releasing Jaire Alexander and struggling with their current trio of Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs, and Carrington Valentine.
“Riq Woolen just hasn’t been able to find that spark he had as a rookie when he intercepted six passes and made the Super Bowl,” noted Lou Scataglia of NFL Spin Zone, highlighting how Seattle’s depth at corner—bolstered by returnees like Devon Witherspoon and emerging talents like Josh Jobe—could make Woolen expendable as a rental in the final year of his rookie deal. At just 26 years old and earning a manageable $5.346 million base salary, acquiring him might cost only a late-round pick, allowing Green Bay to inject immediate star power without mortgaging the future. Even better, if Woolen thrives and walks in free agency, the Packers could net a compensatory draft pick down the line.
This isn’t just a band-aid; it’s a strategic masterstroke aligning with Gutekunst’s track record of bold splashes, like the preseason blockbuster snagging Micah Parsons from Dallas in exchange for two first-rounders and DT Kenny Clark. With the Packers’ secondary exposed badly in the Cowboys tie—missing tackles and getting burned repeatedly—Woolen’s arrival could create a true “No-Fly Zone” opposite their existing pieces, elevating a defense that’s already stacked with pass-rush firepower from Parsons. Multiple teams are circling Woolen amid his benchings and penalties, but Green Bay’s urgency at the position and history of aggressive deals make them the frontrunners to “hijack” the deadline.
If Gutekunst lands him, expect Woolen’s ballhawk pedigree to shine in a fresh scheme, turning potential weaknesses into strengths and keeping the Packers in the Super Bowl conversation. The clock is ticking—will Green Bay strike first and make waves once again?
