NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans and defensive tackle Tony Brown agreed to a three-year contract extension worth $17 million Thursday to keep the restricted free agent with the team.
The Titans had tendered Brown at a first-round level worth $2.61 million, and team officials and the lineman's agent had been working on a long-term deal since February. They finalized the details of a deal that will pay Brown $7.5 million in 2010, and agent Martin Magid said his client was on his way to sign it.
Brown also has played for the Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers in five NFL seasons, but he missed out on unrestricted free agency with the collective bargaining agreement in its final year. That forces players to have six full seasons instead of four to become unrestricted free agents and be able to sign with any team.
Magid said he conceded to a three-year deal and believes Brown will receive another NFL contract in his career. Tennessee is a good fit now for Brown, who played college football at Memphis.
"I don't think that was the ultimate factor. As a restricted guy, you've got some handcuffs on you," Magid said. "We worked hard to get it done, myself and the Titans. They've been very cordial through it, and you agree to disagree. At the end of the day, we came to a conclusion, and Tony's pretty happy."
The Titans originally picked up Brown in October 2006 to fill in during Albert Haynesworth's five-game suspension. The next year, Brown received an extension that kept him on the roster through 2009.
Brown started 15 games last season and had five sacks and a team-high 25 quarterback pressures.He was a Pro Bowl alternate.
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
