Charles Woodson is one of the best defensive backs in the modern history of the National Football League. After being selected No. 4 overall by the Oakland Raiders in the 2008 NFL Draft, Woodson earned Pro Bowl trips in each of his four seasons. This cemented his stats as one of the best cornerbacks in the entire league.
Oakland then made the decision to move on from Woodson prior to the start of 2006. At that point, many had concluded that the veteran defensive back just didn't have a lot left in the tank and wasn't much more than a marginal starter.
Those skeptics couldn't have been more wrong.
Woodson joined the Green Bay Packers in 2006 and had two decent seasons before breaking out big time in 2008 . Green Bay felt that Woodson was expendable following a '12 season that saw him miss nine games due to injury.
On Friday, Green Bay announced that it released the future Hall of Fame defensive back in what accounts to nothing more than a financial move by the organization. Woodson was set to count $9.4 million against the cap. It is unclear whether the two sides had discussed a restructured deal to lower the cap hit in '13. Either way, Woodson will be moving on from a city he called home over the last seven seasons.
General manager Ted Thompson had the following to say in a press release...
"He has been an integral part of the Packers' success, and our Super Bowl title in 2010 would not have been possible without his contributions. A once-in-a-generation talent as a player, he is also a great leader and ambassador for the organization off the field. Charles will always be a member of the Packers family, and we look forward to his eventual induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. We wish him and his family all the best."
It doesn't seem this was an easy decision for the franchise, but one that they probably had to make in the long run in order to remain viable under the cap moving forward.
What are Woodson's options now?
Well, he still seems to have a lot left in the tank after a Pro Bowl performance in 2012. He will receive a great deal of interest in teams looking for an upgrade in coverage at free safety.
Of course, the San Francisco 49ers are one team that come to mind first. Donte Whitner was a complete disaster in coverage during the postseason and is a major weak link in their secondary. Adding Woodson, on a salary-cap friendly deal, seems to make a lot of sense. San Francisco would have to part ways with Whitner prior to signing Woodson.
For his part, Whitner is due to count $4.9 million against the cap and San Francisco could save four million dollars by showing him the door.
The New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens also seem to be options. Devin McCourty succeeded a great deal in his transition from cornerback to strong safety this past season, but could be equally as effective playing free safety next to Woodson. In fact, McCourty's skillset suggests that he could make a seamless transition to that position. New England has a habit of bringing in grizzled vets on the cheap because of its success over the last 12 seasons. Woodson seems to be a good option there.
Meanwhile, Ed Reed is set to become a free agent for the World Champion' Ravens and may end up moving on from the only organization he has ever suited up for. Could Woodson come in and play free safety opposite Bernard Pollard? That's the real question in the equation.
Either way you look at it, Woodson represents value on the market. He has had previous success, eight Pro Bowl selections. In addition, he could play both safety positions.
If I had money on it, I would indicate that New England and San Francisco are the two favorites at this point. While that is pure conjecture on my part, we already know Woodson wants to join a contender. Both have needs at safety, so there should be mutual interest.