After another lengthy stint on the free-agent market, former Packers defensive back Charles Woodson has signed a one-year contract to return to the Oakland Raiders, according to the team’s official Twitter account.
Woodson was the No. 4 overall pick to the Raiders in the 1998 NFL Draft. He played eight years with Oakland but had no serious suitors when he became a free agent in 2005.
Late in the free-agent process, Woodson signed a seven-year contract to play in Green Bay where he would go on to play seven seasons. He was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 and was a four-time All-Pro selection during his seven years with the Packers.
Versatility and instincts made Woodson a turnover machine at the peak of his career. His post-game speech, in which he urged the team to have “one mind, one goal, one purpose and one heart” after defeating the Chicago Bears in the 2010 NFC Championship Game, is referenced on the team’s rings for Super Bowl XLV.
After originally suggesting he only wanted to play for a Super Bowl contendor, Woodson changed his tune as he remained unsigned. The Raiders won But now Woodson, 36, will return to Oakland to help shore up a secondary that allowed the fifth-most points in the NFL last season.
The Packers, meanwhile, will turn to Jerron McMillian and M.D. Jennings to fill Woodson’s shoes safety. Both players saw time with the first-team defense Tuesday at the Packers first public OTA of the 2013 season.
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Marques is a Journalism student, serving as the Sports Editor of UW-Green Bay\'s campus newspaper The Fourth Estate and a Packers writer at Jersey Al\'s AllGBP.com. Follow Marques on Twitter @MJEversoll.
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Good luck C.Wood. You will be forever remembered as a great Packer. Really enjoy what you brought to this team.
Good for Charles. Hope he gets another pick 6 and breaks the record for defensive TD’s! That would be sweet. He deserves a record like that.
Be happy to see him retire after this year and sign a one day contract w/ the Packers to announce his retirement. That would be much more fitting than retiring while w/ Oak.
Have a good year Chuck and retire in style next year!
I know what you’re all thinking: What will he write about now that there’s no more “what if Woodson returns?” Don’t worry, we’ll think of something:). Packers need to give McMillian a shot and hope he can make the jump. Now really praying that he can stay healthy.
Im curious to see how much his Raiders contact is. Is it true that SF made woodson an offer last week? If so, it looks like Chaz went for the money, not the ring
I think this is going to end up a little bit like Freeman coming back to end his career with the Pack after his stint in Philly, although there was a marked difference in their relative experiences with their second teams.
When Free came back he contributed in a limited role and was able to close the book on his career on his terms. I think that Wood would like to be able to do that with Oakland and find a little redemption, too.
It seems that the Raiders are at least marginally less dysfunctional than they were when he left.
Good luck, C-Dub, hope you have a great game in a Super Bowl loss to the Pack!
Yeah, you know having a legit GM like McKenzie instead of the senile one that used to be in charge in Oak!
4 million is a lot for a cheerleader. I love Woodson but there is no way he is worth 4 million at this point in his career..