Packers safety Charles Woodson is 36 and set to make $10 million next season, which has led some to wonder if the Packers will look to renegotiate his contract before the 2013 season.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers wouldn’t offer any suggestions about what either the Packers or Woodson should do if that topic comes up for consideration, but he made it clear that he thinks the team should make Woodson’s return a priority. Rodgers called Woodson a “core” member of the team during his weekly radio show and urged the team to keep him around for at least one more year.
“I know he is under contract and that he is an important part of our football team,” Rodgers said, via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I think he adds a lot. He is still playing at a really high level. He’s very intelligent and sets a good example in preparation. He’s always watching film. He did a great job, especially, with guys like Sam Shields and Tramon (Williams), a couple of years back. He kind of took them under his wing. Now Tramon is carrying on that tradition. . . . Having his presence around the locker room really helps, setting an example for the young guys. It helps me out, as far as being the leader.”
Putting a price tag on those kinds of intangible values is always difficult. Woodson’s done fine when healthy, but he clearly isn’t the same player he once was and $10 million is a lot to spend for locker room leadership. If a renegotiation isn’t in the cards, the Packers will have to decide whether it’s too much.