Carl Poston, the agent for Woodson, first told NFL.com that the club would be releasing his client.

“They’re getting ready to release him. It’s part of the business,” Poston said. “I just talked to him. He sounds like he has a lot of football left. He’d like to play for a contender, win another Super Bowl.”

Woodson was set to make $9 million in 2013 and would count for $10 million against the Packers’ salary cap.

Woodson, who signed a five-year deal before the 2010 season that was worth as much as $55 million, missed nine games last season because of a broken right collarbone and played in two playoff games for the Packers. He moved from cornerback to safety last season because of diminishing cover skills.

“We had a good run,” Woodson wrote to ESPNWisconsin.com in a text message.

Woodson was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 and the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1998. He spent the first eight years of his career with the Oakland Raiders, who drafted him out of Michigan with the No. 4 overall pick.

He’s the only player in NFL history with touchdowns off interceptions in six straight seasons, a feat he pulled off each year from 2006 to 2011, and leads the league with nine touchdowns off interceptions since 2006.

Woodson was productive for the Packers, but they have some tough decisions to make this offseason to manage the salary cap. Woodson had a year left on his lucrative deal and linebacker A.J. Hawk is under contract next year for a team that probably wants to give long-term deals to receiver James Jones, linebacker Clay Matthews and defensive tackle B.J. Raji because each of the relatively young standouts could potentially be free agents following next season.

Despite his age and recent injury, Woodson will likely be an in-demand free agent. He was injured last October, bounced back in time to defend two passes in the playoffs.

“Charles has been a stud in this league for 15 years, so whenever he’s on the field with us, he’s always a huge threat,” Hawk said in January. “Not only is he a threat to make huge plays throughout the game, but quarterbacks, I think they know where he’s at every single play. He seems to know what receivers are running before they do. And I think he has an intimidation factor as well.”

Woodson had a career-high nine interceptions in 2009 and picked off seven passes in 2011 and made one interception in seven games during last year’s injury-shortened season.

The 1997 Heisman Trophy winner led Michigan to the 1997 national championship and has donated more than $2 million to the University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital, where he supports pediatric clinical research. With the Packers, he was a leader as one of the best players on the team and as a mentor to younger players.

“He’s like a big brother to all of us,” former Green Bay safety Nick Collins once said.

The post Charles Woodson to be released appeared first on IdealCapper.

Green Bay at San Francisco
When: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 12, 2013
Where: Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FOX.
Line: 49ers -3. O/U: 44.5

Oddsmakers currently have the 49ers listed as 3-point favorites versus the Packers, while the game’s total is sitting at 45.

Green Bay has most of its defense healthy for the first time in weeks and spent the wild-card round attacking Vikings backup quarterback Joe Webb. Clay Matthews, looking fully recovered from a hamstring injury that has limited him at times, had a pair of sacks and forced a fumble while Charles Woodson played for the first time since breaking his collarbone on Oct. 21. With those two playmakers back, the Packers forced three turnovers and managed to hold Peterson under 100 yards rushing. The focus this week will be on Rodgers facing a San Francisco defense that has held opposing passers to 200.2 yards – fourth-best in the NFL – and finished second in the league in scoring defense. Rodgers passed for 303 yards but struggled until late in the game and was intercepted once in the first meeting. He should have a better rushing attack behind him in Saturday’s game, with DuJuan Harris and Ryan Grant taking handoffs. Rodgers was the leading rusher for the Packers in Week 1 and could be without one of his top receiving targets Saturday in Jordy Nelson, who is questionable with a knee injury.

In their last action, Green Bay was a 24-10 winner at home against the Vikings. They covered the 11-point spread as favorites, while the combined score (34) was profitable news for UNDER bettors.

Green Bay: 11-5 SU, 9-7 ATS
When playing in January are 7-3
When playing on grass are 10-0
After outgaining opponent are 7-3
When playing outside the division are 6-4
Green Bay is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing San Francisco
Green Bay is 6-0-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
Green Bay is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
Green Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

San Francisco has a solid candidate for Defensive Player of the Year in Aldon Smith and has surrendered an average of 13.9 points in eight home games. That defense is keyed on the front line by tackle Justin Smith, who has been dealing with a triceps injury and missed the final two games of the regular season. Justin Smith was wearing an elbow brace but has been practicing and is listed as probable for Saturday. On the other side of the ball, the 49ers will be giving the Packers a much different look than in Week 1. Kaepernick passed for a career-high 276 yards in a Week 17 win over the Arizona Cardinals and has opened up the playbook with his ability to extend plays with his legs and one of the stronger arms in the league. The 25-year-old finished up the regular season with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions and was at his best in some of the biggest games, including a four-touchdown performance at New England in Week 15.

San Francisco won its last outing, a 27-13 result against the Cardinals on December 30. The 49ers failed to cover in that game as a 16-point favorite, while the 40 combined points took the game OVER the total.

San Francisco: 11-4-1 SU, 9-7 ATS
When playing in January are 6-4
When playing on grass are 8-1-1
After outgaining opponent are 6-3-1
When playing outside the division are 8-2
The total has gone OVER in 7 of San Francisco’s last 8 games
San Francisco13-2-1 SU in its last 16 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Francisco’s last 5 games when playing Green Bay
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Francisco’s last 5 games at home

Prediction: 49ers 27, Packers 24

The post Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers Free Betting Pick & Matchup appeared first on IdealCapper.