National Football League

Caplan: Woodson gets rewarded with new contract

Published Sep. 9, 2010 1:00 a.m. ET

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The Green Bay Packers have signed CB Charles Woodson to a contract extension through 2014. Woodson’s previous contract was up after the 2012 season.

“What was key on this deal is that the team essentially made a three-year commitment to Woodson where he can make over $33 million over the next three years. Overall, it’s a new five-year deal with a max value of over $55 million that has $21 million in advances and bonuses,” said Woodson’s agent, Carl Poston, to Fox31 in Denver and Showtime’s "Inside the NFL."

Woodson's coming off a fantastic season in which he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year by The Associated Press, becoming only the second Packer to win the award (DE Reggie White, 1998). He posted a career-high nine interceptions, two sacks and four forced fumbles last season on the way to his sixth career Pro Bowl bid, and he also earned NFC Defensive Player of the Month three times.

Woodson's the only NFL player to register seven interceptions and two sacks in back-to-back seasons (2008-09) since sacks became an official league statistic in 1982.

Acquired by Green Bay as an unrestricted free agent in 2006 after spending his first eight seasons with the Oakland Raiders, Woodson's recorded 28 of his 45 career interceptions during his four seasons with the Packers. He holds the Packers franchise record with eight defensive touchdowns (seven interceptions, one fumble return), and has posted seven or more picks in three of his four seasons in Green Bay, joining Bobby Dillon as the only players in team history to intercept seven or more passes in a season three times.

Some personnel evaluators thought Woodson was on the downside of his career just a few years ago, but once Dom Capers took over as the defensive coordinator last season, Woodson’s play went up a major notch. Capers used him as an inside and outside cornerback, safety and linebacker.