Cards, rookie Brown agree to six-year, $62M deal

The Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night reached agreement with first-round draft pick Levi Brown, the offensive tackle from Penn State, on a six-year contract, ESPN.com has confirmed.

The contract, negotiated by agent Joel Segal, has a maximum value of $62 million. That is believed to be the most lucrative contract in NFL history for an offensive lineman, although Brown is unlikely to max out the deal by reaching all the incentives.

Unsigned First-Round Picks

Now that all NFL training camps are open for business, coaches will tell you these absent rookies are falling behind in their programs by the minute.

The Six Holdouts

No.	Team	Player
1.	Raiders	JaMarcus Russell, QB
2.	Lions	Calvin Johnson, WR
14.	Jets	Darrelle Revis, CB
22.	Browns	Brady Quinn, QB
23.	Chiefs	Dwayne Bowe, WR
25.	Panthers	Jon Beason, LB

"Levi is looking forward to joining the Cardinals coaches and players at practice tomorrow," Segal told The Associated Press. "The Cardinals stepped up and made this deal happen."

Brown, 23, was the fifth player chosen overall and the second offensive tackle. The accord leaves six first-round choices unsigned. That group includes the top two picks, quarterback JaMarcus Russell of Oakland and Detroit wide receiver Calvin Johnson.

A four-year starter for the Nittany Lions, with 44 of his 45 starts at left tackle, Brown is expected to challenge veteran Oliver Ross for the starting job at right tackle. That is a key position in the Arizona offense, since quarterback Matt Leinart is left-handed, and the right tackle is responsible for primary pass protection duties.

Brown spent much of the spring working on the right side and, according to the Cardinals' coaches, seemed to make a good transition. Having missed the first five days of camp, he will have to catch up quickly under the tutelage of line coach Russ Grimm to still have a chance to start on opening day.

Although he arrived at Penn State as a defensive tackle, Brown was moved to the offensive side early in his first camp. He is blessed with a big upper frame and his size (6-feet-5 ½, 323 pounds) allowed him to engulf opponents at the college level. Brown has long arms and big hands and, while his 40-time (5.40) is not impressive, he moves his felt very well in pass protection situations.

He will have to work on not setting up so high, and losing leverage, when pass blocking.

In his final two years, according to Penn State coaches, 60 percent of the team's rushing yards came in part as a result of his blocks.

Senior writer Len Pasquarelli covers the NFL for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Source: ESPN.com