Packers match offer sheet for Diggs

GREEN BAY, Wis., March 28 (UPI) -- The Green Bay Packers announced Friday they had matched a four-year offer sheet Na'il Diggs signed with the rival Detroit Lions six days ago, keeping the young linebacker in Green Bay for the foreseeable future.

A restricted free agent, Diggs, 24, signed an offer sheet at undisclosed financial terms with the Lions on Monday. If the Packers had not matched, they would have been entitled to a fourth-round pick from the Lions.

Instead, they chose to keep Diggs in Green Bay, where both player and coach claim he is happy.

"There have been some sources out there that have suggested that Na'il Diggs was less than happy as a Green Bay Packer," Packers Coach and General manager Mike Sherman said. "In my conversations with Na'il, this message has not been communicated to me, so I do not put much stock in second-hand comments."

"Green Bay has been the only NFL home I have known in my career and I am fortunate to play for an outstanding organization and community with the best fans in the league," Diggs said. "I look forward to continue playing for one of the most storied franchises in professional sports."

The Lions were looking for Diggs to fortrify their linebacking corps, which lost free agent Chris Claiborne to the Minnesota Vikings.

The 6-4, 238-pound Diggs played all 16 games and 1,038 plays last season, his fourth in the NFL. The strongside linebacker had 111 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.

Green Bay recently waived starting weakside linebacker Nate Wayne for salary cap purposes and signed Hannibal Navies, but is in danger of losing unrestricted free agent defensive end Vonnie Holliday, who turned down a multi-year deal by the Packers.

Green Bay had room under the salary cap and was concerned that restricted free agent defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila would get an offer sheet from the Philadelphia Eagles. But Gbaja-Biamila left Philadelphia without an offer sheet.

Diggs visited the Lions' training facility last week with unrestricted free agent linebacker Wali Rainer.