The Green Bay Packers have declined to match the Washington Redskins' offer sheet to Packers safety Matt Bowen, a restricted free agent, GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman announced Tuesday.
As a result, the Packers will receive a sixth-round selection from Washington in the upcoming, 2003 National Football League draft (April 26-27). Under the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement, the compensation is based upon where the player was drafted (Bowen was a sixth-round pick of the St. Louis Rams in 2000).
Bowen, who joined the Packers as a free agent late in the 2001 season, played in all 16 games in 2002, making six starts. He recorded 42 stops from scrimmage (tied for second among reserves), including 1 forced fumble, and posted one interception among 7 passes defensed.
Also an effective special teams player, the 26-year-old University of Iowa alumnus finished the regular season third on the team in kick coverage tackles with 18.
