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Despite the fact that Charles Woodson left on Wednesday without a contract, the Denver Broncos are likely the leading contender to land the former All-Pro. Multiple outlets, including the Denver Post, are reporting that the Broncos remain the favorites and are actively pursuing a deal.
There appear to be a couple of hurdles that could throw a wrench into a potential deal. The Broncos have likely beaten out the Oakland Raiders and Carolina Panthers for Woodson’s services, but a new team has reportedly entered the mix. The New York Giants have renewed interest in signing Woodson, but the level of that interest is unclear at this time.
The one thing that only the Broncos and Woodson know is what was discussed on Wednesday, and those talks could be another hurdle. The common belief is that the Broncos would like to sign Woodson to a one-year contract as they’ve done with their other older free agents.
Vice-President of Football Operations, John Elway has made it clear that he is in a win now mode but not at the complete expense of the future. He would like to have Woodson but also understands that players like Quinton Carter, Rahim Moore and Kavon Webster are the future and have to play at some point.
Woodson, on the other hand, is likely seeking a two-year contract with some guaranteed money up front. The key to getting a deal done probably lies in finding some common ground in this area. This is just me talking, but it’s possible the Broncos could offer a lower salary with a fairly sizable bonus for one season. That would give the Broncos the one-year deal they want and Woodson the kind of money he wants. The Broncos could also offer a second year on a team option which again would leave the Broncos in control of that second year.
Woodson’s agent, Carl Poston said that “They are still in contact with the Broncos.” Just because Woodson is no longer in Denver does not mean a deal cannot get done quickly. Assuming the former agent of Elvis Dumervil is nowhere near the fax machine, a contract can be agreed to and signed via fax.
It’s possible that this could drag out over another week or two, but my feeling is that it wraps up before the end of the weekend. As stated the Broncos remain the favorite, but there are still some hurdles to clear for both sides.
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