NFL teams
Rob Demovsky, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Sean Richardson to stay in Green Bay

NFL, Green Bay Packers, Oakland Raiders

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Sean Richardson was worth the extra $1 million to the Packers.

Shortly before Monday's deadline, Richardson's agent, Brian Parker, confirmed to ESPN.com that the Packers informed Richardson that they have matched the Oakland Raiders' one-year, $2.55 million offer sheet that was executed last week, meaning Green Bay will retain the fourth-year pro.

According to a source familiar with the contract, Richardson will receive a $1.35 million signing bonus and a $200,000 reporting bonus at the start of training camp, plus a base salary of $1 million.

The Packers had originally given Richardson the lowest restricted free-agent tender of $1.542 million. Had they declined to match the Raiders' offer, they would not have received any compensation.

The No. 3 safety behind starters Morgan Burnett and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Richardson becomes one of the most expensive backups on the roster; the only backup who will make more this season is outside linebacker Mike Neal ($3 million). Only 13 players on the Packers' roster will make more money in 2015 than Richardson, who played on just 11 percent of the defensive snaps last season.

However, Richardson appeared on more special-teams plays than any other player on the roster last season. He also played in all 16 games in 2014, marking the first full season in his three-year career.

Richardson, an undrafted free agent from Vanderbilt, suffered a neck injury as a rookie in 2012 that required fusion surgery and spent the first part of the 2013 season on the physically unable to perform list. He was limited to just 11 games combined in his first two years.

Had the Packers lost Richardson, he would have been the third member of the secondary to leave for another team. Early in free agency, starting cornerback Tramon Williams signed with the Cleveland Browns and backup cornerback Davon House went to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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