Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen, formerly Tariq, missed the first eight practices of training camp while rehabbing from offseason knee surgery.
He passed his physical Sunday and returned to the practice field, though the Seahawks limited Woolen’s workload as he works his way back.
“It’s great to get him back,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said, via John Boyle of the team website. “He comes off of PUP today. His workouts have been extraordinary, and we can’t keep him on it any longer. He’s just too close. We’re still going to take care of him and make sure that we get him back to the football movements and the football kind of changes in the direction and things in more competitive situations. He took individual [drills] today, and it’ll be a little different tomorrow in the process. He’ll be real quiet this week. We won’t give him a lot of work, but we’re stressing him in the workouts, in the rehab work, to make sure that he’s getting there. He feels great. He’s really confident, and we’re going to make him be begging to get back out there.”
Woolen was injured during offseason workouts on the field between plays of a no-contact, no-pads drill. He underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair cartilage damage.
Woolen earned Pro Bowl honors as a rookie and will get his starting job back at right cornerback as soon as he is fully healthy.
“He’s a starter for us,” Carroll said. “He’s been a starter and he earned it and did a great job last year.”
First-round pick Devon Witherspoon will start at left cornerback.