Charles Woodson released by Packers

In Green Bay, Woodson earned four trips to the Pro Bowl and was named the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year after a season in which he finished with nine interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns. In his final season with the team, Woodson played in seven games before a broken collarbone forced him to miss a majority of the season.

Woodson will turn 37 during the 2013 season, but his agent told Rapoport that Woodson “sounds like he has a lot of football left.” History supports that claim.

There is no denying that Woodson’s career is coming to a close. When healthy, he has proven time and again to be one of the league’s best at what he does, however. It’d be a bad idea to bet against a man who has reinvented his game several times over the past few seasons. Count on Woodson squeezing everything he can out of his career for as long as an NFL team is willing to give him contract. Then he’ll ride off having finished a Hall of Fame career.

The veteran’s contract had a $9 million cap hit for the Packers in 2013, making the 36-year old a prime target for release. Woodson’s agent told Rapoport that the veteran “has a lot of football left” and would like “to play for a contender.”

Woodson made the announcement via his winery’s Twitter account (2011 was his last solid vintage):