With a guaranteed one-year contract worth $10.5 million on the table, the Oakland Raiders' Pro Bowl cornerback Charles Woodson didn?t even think about holding out for a long-term deal. "Last year we tried to make a statement and hold out, and tried to get a deal done,'' Woodson said Friday. "This year, we got $10.5, $10.7 (million) on the table ... why wait?" Those were Woodson's first words to the public since leaving the field during a 35-10 loss Dec. 12 at Atlanta because of a bone bruise in his knee.

The Oakland Raiders signed free agent tight end Rickey Dudley on Tuesday, marking Dudley?s second stint as a Raider. Since leaving the Raiders as a free agent after the 2000 season, Dudley's career has gone downhill, in large part because of injuries. Dudley will compete with Zeron Flemister and Josh Narman for the third-string DE job.

Recently retired Raiders legend Tim Brown is heading straight to the NASCAR circuit after accepting an offer to create Tim Brown Racing from Rousch Racing, an enterprise that has won NASCAR's last two Winston Cup/Nextel Cup championships. "If NASCAR is going to truly be America's sport, everyone (from all races) has to be involved," he said, adding he will be involved in promotions and securing sponsorships for his new team.

Tim Brown was able to accumulate some very impressive stats during the course of his career: -A total of 1,094 receptions, third all-time in NFL history. -Throw in 14,934 yards gained, second all-time in NFL history. -The 100 touchdown catches making him one of only four players in league history to reach triple digits. But when January 2010 rolls around, will Tim Brown receive his deserved induction to the NFL Hall of Fame? "I'd be very surprised if he was a first-ballot guy," said the Boston Globe's Ron Borges, who once covered the Raiders for the Oakland Tribune. "They're pretty stingy about that. And if Art Monk isn't a slam dunk, I would certainly say Tim Brown isn't." "I'm a negative," Sports Illustrated's Paul Zimmerman said. "He's a great guy. I love talking to him. I'd like to have him playing on my team. But Hall of Famer? No. He dropped too many balls. I think that is a very important criterion in selecting one of the all-time great receivers. "People forget ... that wide receivers in the past had great hands. They didn't drop the ball. Tim Brown caught a lot ... and he dropped a lot. Now people don't seem to care so long as the guy caught his share."

A rumored Jerry Porter-for-Terrell Owens trade won't happen ? but not because the Eagles wouldn't trade Owens. The Raiders have no interest in dealing Porter and would have trouble absorbing the salary-cap hit after giving Porter a lucrative contract extension this offseason. The Raiders are interested in trading Doug Gabriel, who some teams think could develop into a No. 2 receiver. He currently is slotted to be Oakland's fourth receiver.

Tim Brown will end his prolific NFL career with the Oakland Raiders after all. "Tim will sign a one-day contract and retire as a Raider," team spokesman Mike Taylor said Wednesday. The Raiders plan to hold a news conference later this month with owner Al Davis to recognize Brown, the former Heisman Trophy winner and longest-tenured player in franchise history. Brown was released last August when he refused to accept a greatly diminished role in coach Norv Turner's offense. He signed with Tampa Bay to play what turned out to be his last season with former Raiders coach Jon Gruden. Brown, who turns 39 on July 22, played the first 16 of his 17 seasons with the Raiders, and always hoped to be remembered as the organization's greatest receiver. He was the last former member of the Los Angeles Raiders and the person young players turned to for advice. The self-proclaimed "Mr. Raider" holds most of the club's receiving records, and his 240 games with the team are the most in franchise history. Brown was a first-round draft choice by the Raiders in 1988 out of Notre Dame. The Raiders are happy he's part of the team again, even if he's no longer on the field hauling in passes. "I'm glad to hear that," fullback Zack Crockett said. "When you hear Tim Brown's name, you hear nothing but Oakland Raider. You don't hear Tampa Bay. We followed in his footsteps with the Raiders. That's excellent for him. He's one of those guys who paved the way for everybody."

There are reports a trade is in the works with the Oakland Raiders. Owens would go to Oakland for wide receiver Jerry Porter. T.O. may be trade bait because he wants the Eagles to give him more money. If he goes to Oakland, the Raiders would have two of the best wide receivers in the NFL: Terrell Owens, and Randy Moss. Yesterday, Moss told reporters he could co-exist with T.O. as long as he got the number of passes he deserves.