Rams agree to deal with center Brown

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The St. Louis Rams landed the prize free agent blocker of 2009 Friday by reaching an agreement in principle with Ravens center Jason Brown.

According to a source, Brown received a five-year, $37.5 million contract that includes $20 million in guarantees. He will earn $24 million over the first two years of his contract. Brown's agents, Harold Lewis and Kevin Omell, spent Friday night working on the final language of the contract before having Brown sign the deal.

Talks between the Ravens and Brown broke off Thursday night when he tried to get the team to move off their contract offer, which was in the $6 million range. Brown was hoping to land $7.5 million to $8 million a year in free agency.

The 6-foot-3, 320-pound Brown is big and strong enough to block nose tackles in 3-4 schemes and powerful enough to be a lead blocker for a running game.

Brown was a fourth-round pick of the Ravens in 2005. He's had 45 starts during his first four seasons.

John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.

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John Clayton

NFL senior writer

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• Senior NFL writer and commentator
• Joined ESPN in 1995
• Member of the writers' wing of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio