Source: TBO.com
Link: http://www.tbo.com/sports/bucs/MGBG9KEEOLE.html
TAMPA - Tampa Bay's status as a division champion and Charles Woodson's familiarity with Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen could prove to be critical factors in his choosing between the Bucs and Packers, according to the agent for the four-time Pro Bowl cornerback.
Negotiations continued Wednesday between the Bucs and Woodson, the first rookie Gruden welcomed to the NFL as a head coach, but the Packers also remain interested in the former Heisman Trophy winner.
"Charles wants to win, and that's the bottom line," said Woodson's representative, Carl Poston. "He went 12-0 his last year at Michigan and won a national championship. Now, he wants that Super Bowl ring and he wants to join a team that's committed to winning."
There are indications the unrestricted free agent may take his time before making a decision.
Woodson, who turns 30 in October, earned a combined $19.3 million as Oakland's franchise player the past two seasons before hitting the open market. He has already visited One Buc Place and Green Bay, with Seattle rumored to be another potential suitor.
"I would think the familiarity between Charles, Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen is a big plus for the Bucs," Poston said. "We want to get a deal done, but it has to be the right fit at the right numbers. Green Bay probably is in better shape cap-wise, but you never know. Sometimes, those things can be deceiving."
A broken leg sidelined Woodson for the final 10 games in 2005, but he is still considered one of the league's elite defensive backs.
While the Packers are likely to keep him at corner, Woodson probably would be shifted to safety if he joins the Bucs, who have one of the NFL's premier cornerback tandems in Ronde Barber and Brian Kelly.
Poston suggested Woodson's role in the secondary wouldn't be a deal-breaker.
"I think it depends more on the system," he said. "Bruce told me a long time ago that Charles is such a phenomenal athlete, he could probably be the best free safety in the league if he wanted to."
The Packers may have more money to offer Woodson, but the Bucs appear to have several advantages.
Green Bay is coming off a 4-12 season and Brett Favre's status remains uncertain. The Packers play in frosty Lambeau Field, and their defense allowed an average of 21.5 points per game last year.
The Bucs had the NFL's top-rated defense and won the NFC South with an 11-5 mark.
After leaving the Wolverines after his junior year, Woodson was the fourth player drafted in 1998, Gruden's first season on the Raiders sideline.
"As a football player, Woodson is such a unique guy," Gruden said last week. "He can stand in there and play man-to-man, old-school bump-and-run coverage with the best of them, and he will knock you out."
BUC BITS: Jordan Woy, the agent for restricted free agent Torrin Tucker, indicated Wednesday that the Cowboys likely will decline to match Tampa Bay's offer sheet for the offensive tackle. Because Tucker was undrafted out of Southern Mississippi in 2003, Dallas would not be entitled to compensation. … The 2006 NFL schedule will be released today, and the Bucs figure to appear in several prime-time matchups, unlike last season. Coming off a 5-11 year, Tampa Bay was the only NFC club that did not play a regular-season game in prime time in 2005.
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Originally Posted by imscott72
