Feb. 28, 2009
Orlando, Fla. (www.UCFAthletics.com) - The Green Bay Packers tendered five of their seven restricted free agents this week, with Atari Bigby getting a second-round tender.
The Packers gave Bigby the second-round tender of $1.545 million, according to the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Bigby is free to meet with other teams, but the Packers have the right to match any offer. If he winds up elsewhere, the team would receive a second-round pick as compensation.
Bigby, who has been a starter for the last two seasons but was slowed all last year by a badly sprained ankle, warranted the second-round tender because Packers General Manager Ted Thompson signed him as a street free agent. If Bigby had been offered the low tender, the Packers wouldn't have received any compensation if he'd signed with another team and they didn't match.
Teams can put poison-pill clauses into contracts that make them difficult for the original team to match, such as ensuring Bigby a large bonus if he plays three or more games at Lambeau Field this year. For about $500,000 more than the low tender, the Packers have put the prohibitive price of a second-round draft pick to dissuade other clubs.
UCF's Conference USA slate will be released by the league office at a later date. The Knights will play host to Houston, Marshall, Memphis and Tulane at Bright House Networks Stadium while travelling to face East Carolina, Rice, Southern Miss and UAB.
UCF will be playing seven regularly scheduled home games at Bright House Networks Stadium for the first time in the facility's three-year existence. The Knights were fortunate to play seven home games in 2007 with the final contest being the Conference USA Championship Game.
For information on 2009 UCF football season tickets call the Athletics Ticket Office at (407) 823-1000.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.