"The New Orleans Saints have agreed to a seven-year, $56.7 million extension with All-Pro guard Jahri Evans, according to a league source -- the richest deal for an interior offensive lineman in NFL history. Not bad for a former fourth-round draft pick out of Division II Bloomsburg. Evans, 26, has steadily earned a reputation as the best young guard in the league over his four-year career, during which he has started every game since Week 1 of his rookie season. The 6-foot-4, 318-pounder was especially recognized last year, earning first-team All-Pro honors and his first trip to the Pro Bowl during the Saints' Super Bowl run. Although Evans began this offseason as a restricted free agent for the second consecutive year and had not yet reported for the Saints' offseason conditioning program while holding out for a better contract offer, both he and the Saints had made it clear that those discussions were positive and leading toward a likely long-term extension. So Wednesday's news was more a matter of "when" than "if."" http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2010/05/new_orleans_saints_agree_to_lo.html
