After more than a year of sometimes acrimonious negotiations, and two days of whirlwind talks between the Bengals and Corey Dillon's agents, the star running back signed five-year contract Friday night that makes him the highest-paid player in franchise history.

        The contract, which makes Dillon a Bengal until age 31, is believed to be worth more than $10.4 million in the first year and $17 million in the first three.

        Dillon signed the deal Friday night at his suburban Cincinnati home. Messages seeking comment from Dillon were not returned.

        “He's our key player,” Bengals president Mike Brown said Friday night. “We need him to be the centerpiece of our team. What we are telling people now is we're going to build around him for the next five years.

        “He earned it. He's not some guy coming into the league. He earned it on the field, which is the way it ought to be.”

        Dillon's signing capped two days of intense negotiation. Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn, who negotiated for the team, said the deal actually was reached Thursday during 12 hours of face-to-face and telephone conversations.

        “Corey had to sign off on it,” Blackburn said Friday night. “Sometimes the devil is in the details.”

        Dillon's signing is the third in less than two weeks that will help the offense. On April 30, seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle Richmond Webb agreed to a three-year deal. Then fullback Lorenzo Neal signed Monday after starting fullback Nick Williams tore knee ligaments during minicamp.

        Earlier in free agency, the Bengals signed former Seat tle quarterback Jon Kitna, who'll battle Akili Smith and Scott Mitchell to start. And the Bengals are encouraged by the return from injury of wide receiver Darnay Scott, who'll join second-year man Peter Warrick and No.2 draft pick Chad Scott.

        “All of our guns are loaded,” defensive captain Takeo Spikes said Friday. “Now it's

        time to polish the boots. It's great the way the organization has gotten the new players. It's very positive, and I'm sure (Dillon) saw it that way.”

        There was a time that Dillon making a five-year commitment to the Bengals would have seemed impossible. Dillon, who 15 months ago said he'd rather “flip burgers” than play for the Bengals again, held out of training camp until last Aug.10 before agreeing to a one-year deal. Since then, talks on a multiyear deal spanned many months and three different agent groups for Dillon.

        But in the end, the Bengals locked up a two-time Pro Bowler who rushed for a team record 1,435 yards in 2000, including the single-game record of 278 yards against Denver.

        “This is a very exciting time in my career, and a big plus for our franchise,” Bengals coach Dick LeBeau said. “We're looking forward to working with Corey for years in the future.”

        Offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski, hired in January, has installed a new, wide-open pass offense that should improve what was the league's worst pass offense.

        “We think we've put pieces in place,” Blackburn said. “But if you took (Dillon's) piece out of the puzzle, it wouldn't be the same.”

        Dillon is only the seventh player in NFL history to rush for 1,100 or more yards in each of his first four. He has averaged 1,224 in each of his four seasons and has two of the best seven single-game rushing performances in NFL history.

        He became an unrestricted free agent after the 2000 season, and on Feb.12, the Bengals designated Dillon their transition player. After tendering him a $3.67 million one-year offer, the Bengals had the right to match any offer another team might make.

        An offer never came, and only the Cleveland Browns expressed interest in Dillon.

        On Monday, Dillon told reporters at Paul Brown Stadium he wanted his agents and the Bengals to begin negotiating and not stop until a deal was reached.

        He repeated his desire Thursday to stay with the Bengals.

        “My career would be much more satisfying if I stick it out and turned this around,” he said. “It would be much more special. I'm where I want to be.”

        In his offseason as an unrestricted free agent, Dillon says he could have gone to a “team that's already established as a winner” or “stick it out here, sweat and shed tears with the guys and bring the program back to where it needs to be.”

        Neither Dillon's agents nor the Bengals would reveal contract details, but the deal reportedly is believed to be just the fifth for a running back to contain an eight-digit signing bonus. Dillon is in the company of Eddie George, Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith and Terrell Davis.

        “Corey has proven himself among the elite running backs in the NFL, and this contract compensates him at that level,” Blackburn said. “He has earned it with his performance.”

        “It is a happy day,” Blackburn said. “There's no question if you're going to talk about the guy, our prestige player, it was important to have him here for the team and for the fans.”

        Next for Blackburn are negotiations with first-round draft pick Justin Smith, the defensive end from Missouri who's being counted on the improve a defense that recorded an AFC-low 26 sacks in 2000.

        “It never ends,” Blackburn said. “Justin Smith is next. But I'm not going to even think about that tonight. Tonight is Corey's night.”

Dillon signs five-year deal Brown has guess on realignment

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