Tyrone Broden Could Be Seahawks' Biggest Surprise After Moving to CB

With Riq Woolen leaving in free agency, the Seattle Seahawks had a big hole open up in their cornerback room. Not only were they down a player, but Seattle lost one of the most athletic players at the position.

Woolen never lived up to the reputation he built after his rookie season in 2022, despite his freak athleticism. And the Seahawks are trying to get former 2025 undrafted free agent wide receiver Tyrone Broden Jr. to follow in his footsteps.

Broden has been converted to cornerback from wide receiver, giving him a chance to break into the Seahawks' rotation at a new position.

Path to NFL

Broden was just a three-star recruit out of West Bloomfield High School in Michigan, committing to Bowling Green as a wide receiver. He played in just eight games in his first two seasons, but eventually emerged in the latter two campaigns.

From 2021-22, Broden totaled 68 catches for 1,102 yards and 12 touchdowns. He transferred to Arkansas ahead of the 2023 season and played two more seasons with the Razorbacks. Broden wasn't nearly as productive playing in the SEC, finishing with just 30 catches for 306 yards and four touchdowns from 2023-24.

Broden went undrafted and was signed by the Seahawks as a UDFA following the 2025 NFL Draft. He spent the entire season on the practice squad, aside from being waived and re-signed once.

Dec 26, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Bowling Green State University wide receiver Tyrone Broden (0) catches a pass and dives into the end zone for a touchdown as New Mexico State University linebacker Trevor Brohard (80) can't make the tackle in the fourth quarter of the 2022 Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Why the conversion to CB?

Woolen was also a receiver-to-cornerback convert. The difference, however, is that Woolen converted to cornerback after his third season at UTSA and played two more college seasons before entering the NFL Draft as a defensive back.

Broden is 6-foot-5, 194 pounds, and has 4.37 speed. That's very similar to the build that Woolen had coming out of college (6-foot-4, 205 pounds, 4.26 40-yard dash). Mike Macdonald is targeting Broden to have a similar type of conversion, and he could carve out a role in the defense. There wasn't going to be a role on offense in a stacked wide receiver room.

Whether Broden has potential as a cornerback remains to be seen. But he has many of the athletic tools that could help him excel at the position, and he just has to get reps to see what his ceiling could be.

Green Bay Packers cornerback Kamal Hadden (36) breaks up a pass meant for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyrone Broden (85) during a preseason game on Aug. 23, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. | Sarah Kloepping/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Goals for Broden in 2026

A practice squad spot for Broden would be a massive win. He'll turn 26 at the end of this season, but could be a contributor for the Seahawks in future seasons if he takes to the new position. The chances of Broden converting this offseason and immediately being a rotational player is unlikely, but that would be an incredible story for the Seahawks.

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