clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Charles Woodson would be open to signing with Lions

Charles Woodson to the Detroit Lions? He's open to the idea.

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Veteran defensive back Charles Woodson has had a tough time finding a new team since he became a free agent earlier this offseason. While Woodson can still play, it seems that most teams envision him in a backup/mentor role. He isn't being offered starter money or anything like that, and Woodson doesn't seem ready to settle for what he's been presented at this point.

Case in point: Woodson visited the Denver Broncos this week and received a contract offer. He didn't accept the offer, and he is now set to take a visit with the Oakland Raiders (his original team in the NFL), indicating that he wasn't exactly blown away by what Denver put on the table.

If Woodson doesn't end up signing with Denver or Oakland, could he potentially return to the state of Michigan to finish out his football career? The Detroit Lions don't exactly seem interested in him, but Woodson would be open to the idea of joining them.

Former Lions offensive tackle Jeff Backus (that still feels weird to type) was on WTKA on Friday as well, and he said that Woodson would make an immediate, huge impact on the Lions. Backus admitted that the Lions addressed their need at safety in free agency by signing Glover Quin, but he still thinks Woodson would be able to provide a lot to the team in 2013.

The fact that the Lions did sign Quin makes Woodson landing in Detroit highly unlikely. They already have solid depth behind Quin and Louis Delmas with the likes of Don Carey, Amari Spievey, Ricardo Silva and John Wendling. Would Woodson be an upgrade in the talent and leadership department? Sure. But the Lions probably wouldn't offer anything beyond the veteran's minimum, and unless he really gets desperate, it doesn't seem like Woodson is interested in taking that kind of a deal.

Pride of Detroit Direct

Sign up now for a 7-day free trial of Pride of Detroit Direct, with exclusive updates from Jeremy Reisman on the ground at Allen Park, instant reactions after each game, and in-depth Lions analysis from film expert Jon Ledyard.