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 Wednesday, August 16
Bruce gets $11 million signing bonus
 
 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.

Isaac Bruce
Bruce

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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