Football
Associated Press 19y

Woodson signs $10.5 million tender

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Charles
Woodson signed a $10.5 million tender Friday as the Oakland
Raiders' franchise player, perhaps trying to force a trade.

By signing, Woodson puts the Raiders far over the salary cap.

"The actions of agent Carl Poston and Charles Woodson tell us
that they must have reached a longterm deal with a team and we
expect a trade very soon," the Raiders said in a statement.

Poston could not be reached for comment Friday, but may have
determined that the Raiders planned to shop Woodson anyway and
looked for a possible suitor himself.

Woodson, also the Raiders' franchise player last season,
received the franchise tag Tuesday. He received a one-year contract
offer worth $10.5 million, a 20 percent raise over last year's
salary of nearly $8.8 million.

Some believed at the end of the Raiders' 5-11 season that
Woodson would not return. He is a non-exclusive franchise player,
which allows him to negotiate with other teams -- and if he leaves,
Oakland will get two first-round draft picks as compensation.

Woodson has said he wants to be the highest paid at his
position, a distinction currently held by Denver's Champ Bailey.

Among the Raiders' most talented and popular players, Woodson
has battled injuries and clashed with management and coaches in
recent years. In addition, he was arrested in downtown Oakland in
December for investigation of public intoxication.

Woodson and teammate Marques Anderson were arrested early Dec.
21 after refusing to leave the back seat of a woman's car, and both
were jailed briefly.

Police said Woodson and Anderson were uncooperative, had
problems maintaining their balance, had bloodshot watery eyes and a
strong odor of alcohol. They were acting in a belligerent manner,
police said.

Woodson, who signed a one-year tender for $8.782 million last
Aug. 31 after missing 33 days of training camp, was sidelined for
the final three games last season with an injured knee.

He finished with 74 tackles, 2½ sacks, two forced fumbles and
one interception.

Woodson also was suspended and sent home by former coach Bill
Callahan for the final game of the 2003 season at San Diego for
missing curfew.

Woodson was among Callahan's harshest critics, saying the coach
was stubborn and lost control of the team. Callahan was fired after
the '03 season.

In May 2000, Woodson was cited in warrants charging him with
drunken driving and driving with a suspended license in Ann Arbor,
Mich., where he won the 1997 Heisman Trophy for Michigan. Police
said he registered a blood-alcohol level of 0.24 percent, more than
twice Michigan's legal limit.

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