Tariq Woolen getting benched vs 49ers has NFL fans ridiculing Seahawks CB: “They compared him to Sauce Gardner”

Tariq Woolen and Sauce Gardner were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft and went on to see success as rookies. The Seahawks player was selected to the Pro Bowl and led the league in interceptions. The Jets player was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year and also made the Pro Bowl.

However, it looks like their careers might be diverging. The San Fransisco 49ers beat the Seattle Seahawks 31-13 on Thursday, and it was a tough night for Riq Woolen. He was removed during the game in favor of Michael Jackson after he missed tackles in the backfield.

Given that Tariq Woolen was being compared to Sauce Gardner, it was a sudden fall from grace for him, as the Jets cornerback is going strong this season. Fans were quick to remind him of this dynamic.

Fans took to X, formerly known Twitter, to reflect on Woolen falling down the depth chart. Here are some of the best responses on the social media platform, including him being compared unfavorably to Sauce Gardner. One tweeted:

"THEY COMPARED HIM TO SAUCE"

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Tackling seems to be the major issue for Riq Woolen

From what was learned from various sources, Tariq Woolen was benched because he was not succeeding in making tackles, which a genuine concern.

However, the 49ers are one of the best reams in the league, so it should be taken with a grain of salt.

Comparing to Sauce Gardner, though, for this season, we can see that the major difference is tackles.

The Seahawks cornerback Woolen has played 10 games and recorded 22 of them, while the Jets player, Gardner, has 25, having played a game fewer. However, Woolen has two interceptions compared to none for the Jets player.

Therefore, one could see his strengths being jumping the route and catching the ball, so that he can generate a turnover. However, once the offensive player catches the ball, he's not able to bring them down quick enough leading to higher yards per catch against him.

However, that's not completely surprising. Sauce Gardner was selected fourth overall in the first round of the draft, while Tariq Woolen went in the fifth round. That the Seattle player did so well so early in his career could, therefore, be more of an aberration that the rule.

However, when you have Brock Purdy, selected with the last pick of the draft, playing against you at a high level, it proves that draft position might not always reflect the true strengths of a player.