Ravens Grab Free Agent Woodson
Rod Woodson is on the move again.
The seven-time Pro-Bowl cornerback signed with the Baltimore Ravens Friday, his second team in two years since leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers after 10 stellar seasons.
Terms of the multiyear deal were not immediately available.
“If you look around the league at the corners … we feel that when you’ve got a guy like that, that knows how to play the game, he really brings a lot to the table,” said Ozzie Newsome, Ravens vicepresident of player personnel.
The biggest question surrounding Woodson is how much speed he’s lost due to age (he’ll be 33 on March 10) and the torn Achilles’ tendon he suffered in the 1995 season-opener for Pittsburgh.
Woodson had three interceptions last season, but he struggled in the 49ers’ loss to Green Bay in the NFC title game, where he was beaten consistently on inside slant routes.
In the first week free agents can sign with other teams, the Ravens have landed Jim Harbaugh, Errict Rhett and Woodson.
Also Friday, Edgar Bennett left Green Bay for Chicago, where he signed a $6.2 million, four-year deal with the Bears. The Packers are set at running back with Dorsey Levens. Bennett, 6-foot and 215 pounds, missed all of last season with an Achilles injury.
Wide receiver Antonio Freeman, signed a $1.153 million, one-year deal to stay with Green Bay after failing to come to an agreement on a multiyear deal. Freeman had 81 catches for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns.
In other moves:
The Seattle Seahawks said Friday they have signed free agent Chris Gray, a 6-foot4, 305-pound guard who played for the Chicago Bears last season.
The Bears re-signed quarterback Erik Kramer ($9 million for three years) and linebacker Barry Minter ($12.5 million over five years).
Defensive end John Copeland signed a five-year contract, reportedly worth $16 million, with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Guard Joe Panos signed an $11.5 million, four-year deal with the Buffalo Bills after spending the past four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Switzer won’t have to pay
A jury sided with former Dallas Cowboys coach Barry Switzer Friday, declining to award damages in a civil lawsuit over an alleged assault.
Randy Mayes and Stephen Bolton had accused Switzer of roughing them up and insulting them with racial epithets during a 1994 incident.
Both plaintiffs are black.
Charges dropped against Packer
Police dropped a marijuana possession charge against Green Bay running back Travis Jervey after tests showed the drug was not among evidence seized from his car.
Jervey, a fifth-round draft choice out of The Citadel in 1995, was a Pro Bowl selection this year as a special-teams player.