Free agent safety Charles Woodson is open to playing for the Detroit Lions, according to Angelique Chengelis of The Detroit News. Woodson was in Ann Arbor on Friday doing fundraising, and said that Detroit is definitely an option if the compensation lines up with what he has in mind.
Charles Woodson open to playing for Lions
Free agent defensive back Charles Woodson says he’d be open to playing for the Detroit Lions if the money was right.
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Most recently, Woodson visited with the Denver Broncos on Wednesday and will visit with the Oakland Raiders on Tuesday. There were reports of an offer from Denver, and Oakland seems to be a viable candidate. The Raiders have a need at the position, more so than either Denver or Detroit, and Woodson is the best player available at the position.
Pride of Detroit: Charles Woodson would be open to signing with Lions
Provided that he’s healthy, of course.
Woodson broke his collarbone last season and is currently 36 years old, far on the wrong side of 30. He made the switch from cornerback to safety and has been productive, but teams -- and fans -- will wonder how much he has left.
“NFL teams have you slotted right now, what they’re going to pay you and what they’re going to make their stand, and that’s fine if that’s what’s going to happen,” Woodson said. “But that don’t mean I have to accept it.”
Woodson also said there's no question that he'd be open to playing for Detroit, but that the business part "has to be right, too, and that's just a fact."
That said, it's unclear if the Lions would be interested at whatever financial figure Woodson has in mind. Detroit re-signed Louis Delmas this offseason and acquired former Houston Texans safety Glover Quin. Both players are capable starters, and most of Detroit's issues are at the cornerback position.
Delmas, however, has a history of injuries, and the Lions could use a backup such as Woodson. They could also work him in on plays where they need an extra defensive back, given Woodson's long career as a cornerback, which would serve the dual purpose of keeping Woodson fresh. But if Woodson wants anything near the $9 million he was set to make before being released by the Green Bay Packers, Detroit is likely not an option.
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