The Green Bay Packers like Evan Dietrich-Smith at center, but apparently not
Evan Dietrich-Smith
enough to offer him anything more than the lowest restricted free agent tender.
Under that low tender, the Packers do have the right to match any contract offered to and signed by Dietrich-Smith. But if the Packers would decide not to match an offer, they would lose Dietrich-Smith without compensation in return.
Dietrich-Smith entered the NFL undrafted, which is why the Packers wouldn’t receive any draft pick compensation for Dietrich-Smith.
Dietrich-Smith took over at center late in the season for veteran starter Jeff Saturday
GM Ted Thompson is taking a gamble. He’s betting no team will offer Dietrich-Smith enough to pry him from Green Bay.
Before 3pm today, teams must exercise options for 2013 on all players who have option clauses in their 2012 contracts.
The second lowest tender is worth $2.023 million, which means the Packers save about $700,000 by issuing the low tender.