Griffith

The Cleveland Browns continue to surround defensive coordinator Foge Fazio with good friends and still-productive veterans by reaching agreement with strong safety Robert Griffith.

The Browns will sign Griffith to a four-year contract, which is worth $15 million and includes a $3.6 million signing bonus.

With the additions of Griffith and defensive end Kenard Lang, who on Tuesday agreed to a five-year, $17 million contract, the Browns have used the free agent market to quickly address two of their most pressing needs. Despite strong overall play in the secondary in 2001, when the Browns led the league in interceptions, the team struggled at safety much of the year.

Griffith, 31, became an unrestricted free agent a week ago when he exercised an option to void his contract with Minnesota, after eight seasons with the Vikings. During much of his tenure there Fazio was the defensive coordinator and that played a role in his decision to join the Browns.

"He's just a great guy to play for, a fiery kind of coach, one who will be on your butt one minute and praising you the next," Griffith said. "People love to play for Foge and he's one of the biggest reasons this deal got done."

Fazio also is familiar with Lang, having been the defensive coordinator in Washington in 2000, and the Browns are attempting to sign another former Minnesota veteran he coached, linebacker Kailee Wong. Last year in free agency, the Browns added standout linebacker Dwayne Rudd, who also was with Fazio at Minnesota.

The talks with Griffith and agent Mitch Frankel went back and forth on Tuesday and, at one point, a high-ranking Browns official told ESPN.com the veteran was seeking too much and that negotiations would stop to allow both sides to better gauge the free agent market.

A former San Diego State standout, Griffith signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 1994 after a stint in the CFL. He became a starter in 1996 after two seasons of playing principally on special teams and has been one of the NFL's premier strong safeties ever since.

Griffith has played in 119 games and started 87 of them. He has 636 tackles, 7½ sacks, seven fumble recoveries, 17 interceptions and 47 passes defensed.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer at ESPN.com.