That seems like a lot of money for an older player in the twilight of his career, but the Broncos offered Woodson a seemingly comparable contract worth a maximum of $3.7 million, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. It certainly looks like Woodson chose money over the ability to play for a contender.
If the Broncos were serious about signing Woodson, they should have upped their offer before he visited the Raiders. It sure seems like the Broncos miscalculated Woodson’s interest in returning to the Raiders and ended up losing a player they would have liked to add to their secondary.
Champ Bailey was on 102.3 FM in Denver on Tuesday and said there was “no freaking way” Woodson wanted to go to Oakland; he also called the visit a “negotiation tactic." Bailey’s thoughts may or may not have echoed the sentiments of the organization.
The Broncos may have assumed that they had the advantage if the money were equal. Not only would Woodson have a chance to win a ring in Denver, but his tax burden would have been lower playing more games in Colorado and fewer games in California.
Woodson will now play nine games in California instead of two, which means his base salary will be taxed at a higher rate for seven more games. Any incentives earned will also be taxed at the California tax rate. The cost of living is also much higher in California, so Woodson’s expenses will also be higher.
Based on these differences, Denver’s offer was probably nearly the same, even if the total dollar amount was $600,000 lower. What it likely came down to is the structure of the incentives, Woodson’s role with the ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
