5 Reasons Packers Would Be Smart to Move Charles Woodson to Safety

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Nick Collins' absence leaves a gaping hole in the Green Bay Packers' secondary, and Charles Woodson is the right man to fill the void at safety.

Woodson is a ball hawk with incredible coverage skills and amazing instincts. He has the perfect skill set to be effective at safety.

At 35 years old, he is not the athlete he used to be, but his lack of straight-away speed will not hurt him much while playing in the middle of the field.

Here are the five reasons the Packers should move Woodson to safety for this season.

5. It Will Give the Young Corners a Chance to Shine

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The Green Bay Packers have several young talents on the roster, and Charles Woodson's move to safety would allow these players to get on the field.

Sam Shields had an excellent rookie season, then went through a bit of a sophomore slump. In his third season, he has the potential to become a solid, reliable starter.

The team drafted Davon House in 2011 and picked Casey Hayward this year. Both these players can be productive in nickel and dime packages.

With Woodson moving away from corner, the team's future starters can gain valuable experience.

4. It Will Prolong His Career

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The days where Charles Woodson could run with any receiver in the NFL are over, but he will not need elite speed to excel at safety.

Woodson is 35 years old and following in the footsteps of Rod Woodson and Aeneas Williams—who both moved to safety late in their careers—as it is a wise career move.

He can be an elite player for longer if he makes a permanent switch to safety.

3. It Will Get the Best Players on the Field

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Moving Charles Woodson to safety will allow the Green Bay Packers to maximize the amount of talent on the field.

Charlie Peprah is not a starting-caliber player, and he was undoubtedly the weak spot in the secondary last season. 

With Woodson starting alongside Morgan Burnett, Peprah will return to the bench and the Packers' secondary can climb out of the gutter.

Woodson, Burnett, Tramon Williams and Sam Shields are the Packers' four best defensive backs, and putting Woodson at safety allows these four to be on the field for the majority of the game.

2. It Will Maximize His Talents

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Charles Woodson is no longer a burner like he was in his younger days, but he still has several elite skills.

He reads defenses as well as any DB in football, he has incredible ball skills and he is a fantastic tackler.

All of these skills would be put to better use at safety than at cornerback. He would be able to rely more on his instincts and positioning in order to compensate for his lack of speed.

At this point in his career, Woodson would be more effective in the middle of the field than he would be near the sidelines.

1. He Already Knows the Role

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Charles Woodson has lined up at safety on many occasions for the Green Bay Packers and there would be almost no learning curve if he switches positions.

He said, per ESPN, "I've played a great deal of safety already since I've been here. And whether or not I play some this year, I don't think it will be any different from what I've done in the past."

Woodson has all the tools and the perfect mindset to successfully move to the middle of the field.

The Packers need him at safety more than they do at corner, and this switch would greatly benefit the defense.