| | ESPN.com news services
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Isaac Bruce signed a seven-year, $42 million contract extension with the St. Louis Rams, ESPN's Ed Werder reported Monday. The extension includes an $11 million signing bonus.
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The Rams announced the extension for their star receiver 50
minutes before the Super Bowl champions kicked off an exhibition
with the Tennessee Titans.
"I think that we have the premier receiver in the NFL under
contract for the next seven years," Rams president Jay Zygmunt
said, including the current year.
Zygmunt first contacted Bruce's agent, Jimmy Sexton, to
renegotiate the receiver's contract about two months ago. Bruce was
entering the final season of his four-year, $12.1 million deal.
Sexton said Bruce wanted to have something done before the
season started. Bruce was going to be given a "future" transition
designation after the 2000 season, which could have complicated
bargaining if the receiver wanted to become a free agent.
"Isaac just wanted to be comfortable," Sexton said. "He
wanted to think about it for a week after it had gotten pretty
close, and he took this time and sort of looked at today as being a
day he wanted to have a decision made by."
With the new contract, the Rams are a little closer to wrapping
up their young core of stars for the next few years.
Quarterback Kurt Warner recently signed a seven-year, $46.35
million contract. Running back Marshall Faulk is in the second year
of a seven-year, $45.15 million contract.
Meanwhile, the team has a seven-year, $45 million contract -- including a $12 million signing bonus -- on the table for All-Pro
defensive end Kevin Carter.
No NFL receiver caught more passes (224) than Bruce in his first
three seasons. He holds four single-season team records, including
most yards receiving (1,781), most receptions (119), most
consecutive 100-yard receiving games (six) and most 100-yard
receiving games (nine), set in 1995.
Last year, as the Rams won the NFL title, Bruce had 77 catches
for 1,165 yards (15.1 average) and 12 TDs.
"It was a priority for us to get Isaac signed," Rams coach
Mike Martz said in a statement. "We feel he is the best receiver
in football. It is nice to have him around for a long time."
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | |
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