If Charles Woodson follows the career path of Rod Woodson and eventually does move to safety, it won't be happening before next season.
Despite a return to health by fellow cornerback Al Harris, the Green Bay Packers have no immediate plans to move Woodson from left cornerback.
"Could he? Yes, he could," cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt said when asked about shifting Woodson from cornerback to safety. "Would we do that? No. We're not doing that this year."
The penalty-ridden Woodson is off to the slowest start of his last four seasons in Green Bay. Opposing quarterbacks haven't been avoiding him. Rather, they've been attacking him.
At midweek, an executive in personnel for an NFC team who has viewed every Green Bay game said it was clear to him that Woodson has slipped.
"He can't cover anymore," the personnel man said. "He could have been called for 10 more penalties. He's a guesser with great anticipation and instincts. That's why he's been so productive."
Tramon Williams has been the team's No. 1 cornerback this season.
Whitt acknowledged that Woodson "is not playing to his standards, and to the standards we've set for him."
But the third-year assistant coach insisted it wasn't true that Woodson no longer can cover.
"He is covering no different than he covered last year," Whitt said. "On my grade, he's given up less plays this year than last year. The biggest difference has been he doesn't have the interceptions that he had last year. He hasn't made the splash plays, and that's what people see."
Woodson, 34, has given up 2 plays of 20 yards or more, 2 fewer than he had allowed through six games last season. His touchdown-pass yield of 1 is one-half more than at this point last season.
His problems in coverage have been reflected most noticeably in his nine penalties, which put him on pace for an astronomical 29. Woodson had three penalties through six games in 2009. His single-season high in Green Bay was nine in 2007.
His four pass-interference penalties have totaled 51 yards. He also has three penalties for illegal contact, one for holding and one for illegal hands to the face.
In 1997, his only season for San Francisco, Rod Woodson drew 12 penalties, many for being too physical with his hands. After being cut by the 49ers in February 1998, he played a final season at cornerback for the Baltimore Ravens before becoming their free safety in 1999 at age 33.
As a cornerback for Pittsburgh and San Francisco from 1987-'98, Rod Woodson intercepted 47 passes and returned seven for touchdowns. As a free safety for Baltimore and Oakland from 1999-2003, he intercepted 24 passes and returned five for scores.
His induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame was in 2009.
"There are a lot of similarities," Whitt said. "They both can really, really get the ball. 'Wood's' probably a better tackler."
Woodson has intercepted 46 passes for Oakland and Green Bay, returning 10 for touchdowns, during a career that began in 1998.
Darren Perry, the Packers' safeties coach, was the Steelers' starting free safety in a secondary featuring Rod Woodson from 1992-'96. He said Charles Woodson's intelligence and ruggedness are comparable to Rod Woodson's and could lead him on the same late-season career path.
Perry, however, doesn't see the Packers making that move any time soon.
"Not unless the powers that be have another plan," said Perry. "But you think what we have on paper. You look at Morgan Burnett. You look at Nick Collins, who is still very young. You've got to remember, too, that (Woodson) was the defensive player of the year last year playing corner."
On Sept. 9, the Packers gave Woodson $27.25 million in new money as part of a two-year extension that goes through the 2014 season. His average per year is $9.73 million.
In 2008, injuries to Atari Bigby and Aaron Rouse precipitated the shift of Woodson to strong safety. He started in Weeks 12-14, making some plays and giving up some plays.
According to Whitt, Woodson would "have no issues with it" if the Packers asked him to play safety.
At this point, the Packers apparently wouldn't even consider moving Woodson to safety even though Burnett and Derrick Martin are out with season-ending knee injuries, Charlie Peprah is starting alongside Collins, Anthony Smith is becoming readjusted to the system and Bigby is trying to come back from a chronic ankle injury.
"That's because there's so much spread (offense)," said Whitt. "With Al, Tramon and 'Wood,' with all these receivers, that gives us the best chance to win."
Woodson wasn't in the locker room Thursday or Friday, missing practice with what coach Mike McCarthy described as a "personal matter of a positive nature."
On Sept. 10, two days before the opener, Woodson damaged the big toe on his left foot. Whitt acknowledged that Woodson was playing hurt but pointed out that he played hurt in 2009, too.
"I'm not going to make excuses for that," said Whitt. "We've just got to play at a better level."
Woodson's six-game statistics also include 44 tackles (1 for loss), eight missed tackles, one interception, two forced fumbles, no recovered fumbles, five passes defensed and three pressures in 22 blitzes.
His six-game statistics from 2009 included 32 tackles (two for loss), five missed tackles, four interceptions, one forced fumble, no recovered fumbles, four passes defensed and 3 pressures in 20 blitzes.