Atari Bigby. . . .

[vince]

Patler, Bigby is in his 2nd NFL season, which still puts him under the Exclusive Rights category at the end of the season, not Restricted Rights, which is available after 3 NFL seasons... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restricted_Free_Agent
The only team he can sign with is the Packers this offseason under any scenario unless the Packers release him.

I know that. I was simply drawing a distinction between unrestricted free agents and those that are restricted in one way or another. Your description is not exactly correct either. There is no "release" that would make him free. If the Packers fail to tender a contract on or before March 1 he would be free. Teams can "release" only players that are under contract. Bigby's contract will expire, so technically he will be free unless the Packers make him "unfree"..

Under the new CBA a "less than three year veteran" (it does not refer to "exclusive rights free agents" anywhere that I have seen) has to be tendered a contract by March 1, similar to that for "three or more but less than 5 year" free agents (which are referred to as "Restricted Free Agents"). However, the player can not negotiate with any other team after he is tendered, so long as the tender is not withdrawn. The required tender amount is essentially the minimum. If the team does not tender the contract, or withdraws the tender, the player is free to negotiate with anyone.

Also, with respect to Bigby, it appears he is only a two year veteran, but in 2005 he was on the roster for at least two games. I think that is all, which would not entitle him to a year of service, but he is close. All that is needed is that "he was on, or should have been on, full pay status for a total of six or more regular season games". I have no idea what the "should have been" refers to! If he finds another 4 weeks in 2005 he qualifies for a third season.

You referred to him as a restricted free agent. He's not. He's a second year guy, and "restricted free agents" must have three years of service. Regardless of whether it's referred to in the CBA, guys like Bigby are commonly referred to as "exclusive rights free agents."

Whether the term is "release" or "withdraws tender" the point is the same. He can't shop his services around the league, nor can other teams bid for his services. In other words, he's just like a draft pick, if he doesn't sign with the Packers, he can't play, until such time as the team "withdraws" their tender. That better?

Edit: And here's the reference to "Exclusive Rights Free Agent" from the NFL Players Association website. Hopefully, that's authoritative enough for you...

http://nflpa.org/CBA/free_agency_System_explained.aspx[b]

Exclusive Rights Free Agents – A player whose contract expires at a time when he has less than three Accrued Seasons in the NFL cannot market his services to other clubs if his old club gives him a minimum salary tender on or before March 1, 2007. If the tender is provided, this player can only re-sign with his old club (unless the tender is later withdrawn).

And here's the definition of "restricted free agent" from the Players Association...

Restricted Free Agent – A player whose contract expires when he has three Accrued Seasons (but less than four) is in this category in a capped year. If his old club provides him with a sufficient “Qualifying Offer” on or before March 1, 2007, it retains the right to either match an offer the player may get from another club or to receive draft choice compensation from the club making the offer. The Qualifying Offer is based on the level of draft choices the old club wants to receive. For Example, the Qualifying Offer to receive a first and third rounder in 2006 was $2,096,600. The Restricted Free Agent only has about a week before the draft (April 28 - 29 in 2007) to generate an offer from another club. If he fails to get an offer, his exclusive rights revert to the old club unless the Qualifying Offer is withdrawn.

[BallHawk]

BS. The U wanted him to be their next safety but he turned them down because he didn't want to cut his hair.

I've never heard this story before. Where'd you hear that from?

[b bulldog]

Bigby is a liability in coverage and does play better attacking the line of scrimmage. I'm worried bigtime about our Dline which will than expose our secondary if they continue to struggle to get any pressure. If we need to blitz like yesterday, they better get home because if they don't, bad things will happen.

[b bulldog]

I saw it on a pregame show also. he is from the carribean and the longer the hair, the more spiritual or something like that you are. His hair is sacred to him and he will not cut it

[The Shadow]

I am also fairly concerned about Al Harris. The Cowboy game demonstrated that Woodson covering T.O. would have been a far superior solution. If Harris does not get a very effective bump at the line, he has major problems.

[Lurker64]

BS. The U wanted him to be their next safety but he turned them down because he didn't want to cut his hair.

I've never heard this story before. Where'd you hear that from?

\

Here is a reference for that.

[BallHawk]

BS. The U wanted him to be their next safety but he turned them down because he didn't want to cut his hair.

I've never heard this story before. Where'd you hear that from?

\

Here is a reference for that.

Wow, never heard anything like that happening before.

I'm pretty sure the guy gets drafted if he goes to Miami.

[BallHawk]

Great quote by Bigby

"I just found out, a lot of guys don't like to get hit. And that's a good way of getting the respect of my teammates."

That's an attitude that I like to have on this team.

[vince]

http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/sports/packers/index.php?ntid=262468&ntpid=4

Bigby stands in defense of play
By BILL COONEY
608-252-6165
wcooney@madison.com
ST. LOUIS — Atari Bigby knows what all the armchair defensive backs out there have been thinking.

He also knows they're wrong.

"The way I look at it, if you're not inside the meeting rooms, sometimes you don't know exactly what's going on," the Green Bay Packers starting strong safety said.

"So it might look like I'm in the wrong position, I'm having a bad game, so guys might say, 'Bigby should be out.' But to myself, I'm an honest guy, I'm going to be honest with myself. If I'm playing bad, I'm going to say I'm playing bad. But I don't think I had any bad games. I had bad plays, but no bad games."

Bigby responded to some recent criticism — the kind that's been filling sports talk radio shows and Internet message boards in the past few weeks — in a big way Sunday afternoon, accounting for two interceptions in the Packers' 33-14 victory over the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome.

Bigby's first interception came with the Packers clinging to a 17-14 lead late in the second quarter.

On a first-and-15 play from the Packers' 40-yard line, Rams quarterback Marc Bulger threw a pass behind Drew Bennett, who tipped it into the air to Bigby. The second-year player out of Central Florida returned it 18 yards, but — more importantly — wiped out a possible scoring opportunity for the Rams.

"I stuck my hand out there and the ball stuck to my hand," said Bigby, who also made four tackles.

Bigby made his second interception — his fourth of the season — on the Rams' first possession in the second half.

Nick Barnett made a hit on receiver Torry Holt as the ball was arriving and Bigby swooped in for the pick. The Packers converted the turnover into three points on Mason Crosby's 50-yard field goal for a 20-14 advantage.

Bigby, who picked off a pass last week against Oakland and had a 70-yard interception and touchdown return wiped out by a penalty, appears to have bounced back since struggling in coverage against Dallas.

"Atari's a good athlete, he's got good instincts and he likes to play the game," general manager Ted Thompson said. "It's been nice to see him make a couple plays, because I think he got some criticism that might've been a little unfair."

"He had another nice game," added defensive coordinator Bob Sanders. "You want to be hitting your stride here in December. That's our goal."

Another goal might be solidifying the run defense, given that Stephen Jackson and the injury-depleted Rams rushed for 173 yards. Bigby was partially to blame on Jackson's 46-yard TD run in the second quarter.

There's no arguing, however, that Bigby's pass defense has improved.

"I think he's kind of settled down," cornerback Charles Woodson said. "The game, they always say with experience, the game slows down for you a little bit. And I think that's what's happening for him now."

[RashanGary]

Great quote by Bigby

"I just found out, a lot of guys don't like to get hit. And that's a good way of getting the respect of my teammates."

That's an attitude that I like to have on this team.

I read that a while back (preseason I think). That was my favorite quote by a defense player this year.

[Deputy Nutz]

terrible in coverage, plays his best when he is playing downhill towards the line of scrimmage. Makes way too many mental mistakes.

No shit Sherlock, but the point is he is getting better, and hopefully mental mistakes get corrected with experience and help in the off season, he gets caught up in play action like most inexperienced safeties do, hell Nick Collins still gets busted on play action.

I have been critical of Bigby but he has had a good two weeks, he has rebounded nicely from a poor game against Dallas.

[Deputy Nutz]

Bigby is OK; he has had some fortunate breaks on the INT's off tipped passes. He's taken advantage of them. He's a hard tackler and enjoys inflicting the big blow. Love that about him. I can live with how he's playing.

But my confidence is still not strong when I see the ball up in the air and Bigby is the main cover guy. I still think he lacks ball skills and I still think he's the guy on defense teams can expose.

accurate explanation on Bigby's play.

[SkinBasket]

terrible in coverage, plays his best when he is playing downhill towards the line of scrimmage. Makes way too many mental mistakes.

Don't forget slow.

BS. The U wanted him to be their next safety but he turned them down because he didn't want to cut his hair. He's a typical under the radar Ted player. I think you think he's slow because he wasn't drafted. He does not play slow at all and he's never timed slow.

Well if "the U" wanted him, then he must be faster than you jerking off thinking about how fast he is. I don't think he's slow because he wasn't drafted, as you so ignorantly claim, but because when I watch him play, he is A) slow to react and B) slow getting where he needs to be. Fuck whatever his combine time was. All I care about is that he is consistently behind where he needs to be on the field.

On the INT off Bennett, Bigby had only started plodding his way upfield when the ball arrived, and it's only because there was still 10 yards to cover when the ball was tipped to him that he had plenty of time to react and catch it. If Bennett catches that ball he still has plenty of time to turn upfield and he only has to make one move and it's a TD. Atari was in the wrong place at the right time.

You can get all worked up about how awesome he is by ignoring the multitude of times when he's been completely out of position, confused, slow to respond, and how many times he's been burned for 6 points if you want. Have at it. While you're at it, forget all those yards given away by idiotic penalties that have hurt the team too. As for me, I'm hoping we can upgrade to an at least average safety this off-season that allows us to refocus on hiding our 2nd worst pass defender, Poppinga, in coverage.

[RashanGary]

You can get all worked up about how awesome he is by ignoring the multitude of times when he's been completely out of position, confused, slow to respond, and how many times he's been burned for 6 points if you want. Have at it. While you're at it, forget all those yards given away by idiotic penalties that have hurt the team too. As for me, I'm hoping we can upgrade to an at least average safety this off-season that allows us to refocus on hiding our 2nd worst pass defender, Poppinga, in coverage.

I don't think he's been burned for 6 nearly as many times as you think he has. The Packers give up 17 points per game (6th lowest in the NFL). I've watched every game multiple times and while he has been beaten quite a few times on deep sail routes that end up out of bounds, he hasn't gotten burned for 6 like you seem to think he has.

You have been right in the past on guys like Dendy and Herron (I never liked him either) but you are not right on Bigby. Bigby is a young, gifted saftey who brings more positive impact in his first year starting than most safeties do in two years.

[Carolina_Packer]

Again, that's what I keep going back to is the fact that the team is willing to start some guys who have little or no experience, which means you are going to have to deal with some mental lapses and breakdowns. To me I'm more interested in seeing his game improve. If that's possible, then he's got the potential to stick around, and is not another one year place holder like Manuel was.