Keyshawn wants rings, not catches
By wire services
Published March 25, 2006
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Carolina receiver Steve Smith might have been the biggest influence in persuading Keyshawn Johnson to sign with the Panthers.
"He threatened me a couple of times to make this decision," Johnson said, joking, Friday after signing a four-year deal worth $19-million deal, including a $5-million signing bonus.
Johnson, who played for the Bucs from 2000-03, becomes the complement to Smith Carolina lacked last season during their run to the NFC title game. Johnson called Smith "the most dominant force in the NFL at wide receiver" and said he was looking forward to lining up next to him.
"I didn't come here to catch 100 balls," Johnson said. "I came here because I feel Carolina is the team with the best chance to get to the Super Bowl."
Released last week by the Cowboys, Johnson rejected a Giants bid and had planned to meet with the Seahawks. But the Panthers convinced him to stay.
"We have a wide receiver and a football player who is going to have a huge effect on this football team the next four years," Carolina general manager Marty Hurney said before handing Johnson his No.19 jersey.
Johnson said it doesn't bother him if quarterback Jake Delhomme considers Smith his No.1 target.
"The only people who get caught up in No.1 or No.2 are the ones playing fantasy football," he said. "The only number that means anything is the number of (Super Bowl) rings you have on your finger.
"Steve is important to me, and he's the reason I came here. And I'm important to him."
Mora gets extensionATLANTA - Despite last season's second-half collapse, the Falcons gave coach Jim Mora a three-year extension that runs through 2009.
"My family and I love it here," Mora said. "I appreciate the confidence they have shown in me."
In 2003, his first season, Mora led Atlanta to the NFC South title and the NFC title game. Atlanta started last season 6-2 but won only two games the rest of the way to finish 8-8.
Mora initially signed a five-year, $7.5-million deal for his first coaching job, but the last two years were at the team's option.
The new contract guarantees those years and adds another.
"We're delighted Jim is our head coach, and we want him to be a part of our long-term success," owner Arthur Blank said in a statement. "Jim demonstrates every day his knowledge and passion for football, and he is a great leader for our players."
BROWNS: Tight end Kellen Winslow had minor surgery in January on the knee he injured in a motorcycle accident May1, the team disclosed. Cleveland described it as "a very minor procedure to clear out some scar tissue from his previous surgery." His return remains unknown.
CHIEFS: Defensive tackle Lional Dalton agreed to re-sign for four years. The 6-foot-1, 315-pounder has started 27 games since being acquired from the Redskins in 2004. He had 46 tackles and a sack last season.
EAGLES: Right tackle Jon Runyan agreed to re-sign for three years. The 6-7, 330-pounder, 32, who was an unrestricted free agent, has started all 96 games at right tackle for Philadelphia since joining it in 2000. Overall, he has started 160 in a row, including the postseason.
49ERS: Larry Allen a 10-time Pro Bowl guard and, perhaps, the most dominant offensive lineman of his generation, agreed to a two-year deal. Allen, 34, played two seasons at Sonoma State, just north of San Francisco, before spending 12 seasons in Dallas, where he played for current 49ers offensive coordinator Norv Turner and offensive line coach George Warhop.
GIANTS: Receiver Tim Carter, a Lakewood High graduate, re-signed. He has 49 catches for 714 yards and one touchdown in four seasons. Last season, Carter, who visited the Bucs this week, had 10 catches for 186 yards in 15 games.
JETS: Tight end Chris Baker re-signed. The 6-3, 258-pounder started the first eight games last season before breaking his left leg. He had posted a career-high 269 receiving yards on 18 receptions, which tied his career-best.
PATRIOTS: Receiver Troy Brown and offensive lineman Stephen Neal re-signed. Brown, 34, has spent his entire career with New England, which drafted him in 1993. His 514 receptions are second in team history, 21 behind Stanley Morgan. And he had 39 catches for 466 yards and two touchdowns last season. Neal, 28, made the team as an undrafted free agent in 2001 and has started the past 30 games at right guard.
SEAHAWKS: Receiver Nate Burleson signed a seven-year offer sheet worth up to $49-million, including a guaranteed $5.25-million. Minnesota has one week to match. Burleson caught 30 passes for 328 yards and one touchdown last season while bothered by multiple injuries. Also, fullback Mack Strong re-signed. Strong, 34, made his first Pro Bowl last season, when he helped Shaun Alexander rush for a league-leading 1,880 yards. And former Bucs tight end Will Heller signed. In 26 games, three starts, he has 15 catches for 114 yards and three touchdowns.