Charles Woodson's NFL career has come full circle.
The veteran defensive back signed a one-year contract with the Oakland Raiders on Tuesday, NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported, reuniting him with the team that selected him in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft. Woodson's contract includes a $1 million base salary and is worth $4.3 million maximum, a source who has seen the deal told Rapoport.
The deal came together quickly after Woodson met with team officials Tuesday. Raiders fans mobilized at team headquarters to welcome Woodson, who was a standout cornerback for the Raiders from 1998 to 2005. Woodson is a seven-time All-Pro who won NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors with the Green Bay Packers in 2009.
Woodson was released by the Packers in February and was greeted by a market that was slow to form. He told Around The League last month that he was surprised he hadn't attracted more interest than a single visit with the San Francisco 49ers.
That changed last week when Woodson met with the Denver Broncos, who offered him a contract. It seemed like an ideal fit for the 36-year-old Woodson, who had said early in his free-agent process that he wanted to play for a contender.
Instead, Woodson chose the Raiders, a franchise deep in a rebuilding period. Woodson's unlikely to get another ring, but he has the opportunity to finish out his career playing for a team and fan base that truly wanted him back.
UPDATE: The Raiders' team site posted a video of Woodson after the deal was announced, in which he was asked about the fans' unusual show of support. "I'd heard that they were going to do it, but you really don't know if it's going to happen," Woodson said. "To drive up here today, to see all the fans out there yelling and excited to see me back, it means a lot."
Asked if he had a message for them, Woodson said: "Just win, baby."
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