Woodson reeled in
Cornerback could see action on offense
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
[email protected]
Posted: April 26, 2006
The Green Bay Packers landed the big fish quarterback Brett Favre has been urging them to sign all off-season.
On Wednesday afternoon, cornerback Charles Woodson agreed to terms on a seven-year, $52 million contract with the Packers, his agent, Carl Poston, told the Journal Sentinel. Woodson, a four-time Pro Bowl player who twice was Oakland's franchise designation, chose the Packers over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Packers have Favre to thank in part for Woodson choosing Green Bay.
But it's not the only reason. According to Poston, Woodson picked the Packers because head coach Mike McCarthy agreed to let him play on offense as well as play cornerback.
"I think the fact that Brett committed to another year, that was one thing Charles was interested in," Poston said. "Another point is that they agreed to let Charles play offense as well as defense. That proved to be very beneficial to them. They wouldn't let him do that in Oakland."
Woodson, the 1997 Heisman Trophy winner, played on both sides of the ball at the University of Michigan and saw occasional action on offense during his first few seasons in Oakland after being selected with the No. 4 pick in the draft in 1998. He caught one pass for 19 yards in '99 and one pass for 8 yards in 2000 before then-coach Jon Gruden put an end to his offensive escapades.
According to Poston, the Buccaneers - coached by Gruden - weren't interested in allowing him to play on offense and wanted him to play safety. In the end, Woodson thought the best place for him was in Green Bay where he could enjoy personal and team success.
"It was a combination," Poston said. "What he wanted was to be with a team that was committed to winning. It was very tough with the Packers coming off a 4-12 season, but he felt with Brett in the twilight of his career that he would be looking to win it one more time."
Packers coach Mike McCarthy said that he had been in draft meetings all day and was unaware that the team had reached agreement on a deal with Woodson. But he said that when the 29-year-old cornerback visited the Packers April 3, he told Woodson that he would be able to play some wide receiver if he signed in Green Bay.
Woodson doesn't have the blazing speed he had coming out of college - he was timed in the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds at his pro day - but at 6-1, 200 pounds he is a physical player with outstanding athletic ability. The Packers signed him because they want him to play left cornerback opposite veteran Al Harris, but if he can add anything on offense they're willing to give it a whirl.
"It's something he and I talked about," McCarthy said. "I've always believed if you have a guy with special qualities you take advantage of it. We'll look at it."
Woodson also has return ability, but the Packers' main focus will be shoring up a cornerback position that features Harris and no one else. Ahmad Carroll, a first-round pick in 2004, hasn't shown the discipline or maturity to match his outstanding speed and has been a major disappointment.
The Packers have other cornerback candidates in Mike Hawkins, Jason Horton, Patrick Dendy and Therrian Fontenot, but none of them is ready to be a full-time starter. Woodson will move into a starting cornerback position and be asked to play the aggressive bump-and-run style defensive coordinator Bob Sanders demands in his scheme.
The Woodson agreement has no options or voidable years, making it unlikely the former Raiders cornerback will only be around for just one season, Poston said. Though the total value of the deal is $52 million, a good portion of it probably consists of incentives, escalators and large base salaries in the latter years.
The Packers were under the assumption they would at least have to pay Woodson $10 million in the first year because that is the salary he made last season as Oakland's franchise player. Poston would not say how much of the deal is guaranteed.
In Woodson, the Packers are getting a player who was one of the premier man-to-man cornerbacks in the National Football League, but also is known as a solid run defender and physical tackler. Lately Woodson has been slowed by injury, although those who have studied him say he isn't afraid of contact and will easily make the transition to safety when he loses his speed.
Over his eight-year career, Woodson has 17 interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), 5 ½ sacks and 14 forced fumbles. He has played in 106 of a possible 128 regular-season games
Last year, the Raiders played Woodson at numerous positions on the field, moving him from corner to the slot, to inside the box, to deep safety. He had 30 tackles and one interception before suffering a season-ending broken right leg in the sixth game of the season.
He missed seven games in 2002 with a broken shoulder, two games in 2004 with a knee injury and 10 in '05 with a broken leg. The Packers felt Woodson was healthy and weren't overly concerned with his injury history.
A Raiders source said Woodson would be better off staying at cornerback in the base defense rather than moving him around to various positions because he's a better player when he is focused. He said even at this stage of Woodson's career he was still capable of being a shutdown corner.
Kansas City Chiefs coach Herman Edwards agreed when asked about Woodson at the NFL owners meetings last month.
"I think Charles Woodson can do whatever he wants if his mind is right," Edwards said. "It's according to what he wants to do."
Poston said that Woodson, unlike fellow free agent LaVar Arrington, did not talk to Favre about Green Bay before signing. But Woodson did speak to Arrington, who is also represented by Poston and his brother, Kevin, and the two considered playing together in Green Bay.
Arrington ultimately picked the New York Giants because he wanted to play in the NFC East and remain near his Annapolis, Md., home.
"They were close to having both of them," Poston said.
Woodson was not the only free agent the Packers signed. Former New York Giants defensive tackle Kenderick Allen, a 6-5, 328-pound three-year veteran, signed a deal with the team.
Allen was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this off-season, but the Giants decided not to make him a qualifying offer. Last year he played in 14 games with two starts and had 21 tackles, two sacks and two fumble recoveries.
