Diggs' deal includes $2.8 million signing bonus

[Gunzlingr]

While the Packers worried about receiving an offer sheet on defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, they were served with another.


Diggs


Linebacker Na'il Diggs, a restricted free agent, signed a four-year, $10 million offer sheet with the Detroit Lions, including a $2.8 million signing bonus. The Packers, starting Sunday, have seven days to match.

If the Packers elect to let Diggs go to Detroit, they would receive a fourth-round choice in the draft this year as compensation.

The plan is for Diggs to be used as a strong-side linebacker by the Lions. Because of his speed, he is also expected to be on the field on third down.

The loss of Diggs could cause a further shakeup in the Packers' linebacking corps. They cut outside linebacker Nate Wayne and don't appear to be willing bring back Hardy Nickerson to play the middle.

Last week, the Packers signed Hannibal Havies to play the middle. The Packers also have another young linebacker with starting potential, Torrance Marshall, who has been told he might play outside instead of middle this season.

Diggs is trying to discourage the Packers from matching the offer


more (http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/clayton_john/1528366.html)

[The_Philster]

While an official announcement isn't likely until the weekend, probably on Sunday afternoon, Green Bay Packers sources have confirmed that the team will match the restricted free agent offer sheet that linebacker Na'il Diggs signed with the Detroit Lions last week.

The deal is for four years, worth about $10.5 million, and includes a signing bonus of $2.8 million. But team sources told ESPN.com that the offer sheet is in line with what Green Bay had budgeted for Diggs on a long-term deal, and that they do not consider it prohibitive, even with their lack of cap room.

Technically the Packers have until Sunday to match the offer.

"To tell the truth, we're thrilled with the offer sheet, because basically all the Lions did was negotiate the contract for us," said one club official. "It's not a (budget)-breaker, not by any means, and we're definitely matching it."...more (http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1530697.html)