LATROBE, Pa. - Defensive end Aaron Smith avoided a holdout by agreeing to a five-year contract extension hours before the Pittsburgh Steelers opened training camp Wednesday.

        It makes him the latest multimillionaire on a defense ranked No.1 in the NFL last season.

        Smith, who had eight sacks last season, was threatening to hold out if he didn't get a contract comparable to the $22.5 million deal recently signed by linebacker Joey Porter.

        Smith agreed to a package worth $25 million with a signing bonus of $5.5 million.

        His salary is comparable to those of All-Pro linebacker Jason Gildon, who is playing with a $23 million contract, and cornerback Chad Scott, who has a $25.25 million deal.

        Smith, 6 feet 5 and 300 pounds, had 13 sacks in 31 starts the past three seasons.

        COLTS: Running back Edgerrin James was fined $500 and his driver's license was suspended for a month because of a speeding charge in his hometown. James was caught driving at 111 mph in a 60 mph zone May 8 in Immokalee, Fla.

        His attorney, Paul Layne, accepted the fine and suspension at Collier County traffic court hearing Tuesday. Traffic Magistrate Larry Pivacek said James, who did not appear at the hearing, has had 11 moving violations since 1995, many for speeding.

        DOLPHINS: Miami released wide receivers Joey Getherall and Shawn Terry.

        Getherall, a former Notre Dame receiver who signed with the Dolphins after spending the spring with the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe, failed a physical. Terry signed May 21 as a rookie free agent out of West Virginia.

        PACKERS: A protection order against running back Ahman Green, obtained by his wife, has been dropped. Shalynn Green asked an Omaha, Neb., court to dismiss the order, which required the player to stay away from her Omaha home and their two children's day-care center.

        When requesting the order in May, Shalynn Green said her husband threatened her. She also accused him of physically abusing her, saying he beat her twice while she was pregnant.

        SAINTS: Cornerback Kevin Mathis, who was attempting to return from a neck injury, was cut after failing a physical. Mathis injured his neck making a tackle Dec.30 against Washington.

        His agent, Drew Pittman, will meet with Mathis Friday to discuss whether the player should go to other teams and other doctors. “No door's been closed,” he said.

        Mathis, acquired by New Orleans in a trade with Dallas before the 2000 season, started 29 of the 30 games in which he appeared with the Saints and had 166 tackles and three interceptions.

        RAVENS: A federal jury ruled in favor of the team in a lawsuit filed by an artist who claimed it used a logo he designed without paying him. Frederick Bouchat was seeking $2.2 million for logo use on merchandise, along with $416,000 generated by souvenir cup sales.

        Bouchat's attorney, Howard Schulman, said he would appeal the decision because “facts were kept from the jury.”

        JAGUARS: The Jacksonville city council has approved $40 million in upgrades designed to get Alltel Stadium ready for the 2005 Super Bowl. The project includes new luxury suites, club seats, a sports bar, escalators and a new south end zone deck that will provide extra seating for the annual Georgia-Florida college game.

        The city will pay about $12 million for the improvements. The Jaguars will pay $28 million.

        Construction is to be complete in the summer of 2004.

Wyche coaching, teaching at high school Bengals sign Dorsch, but holdouts loom Bengals may be out of Adams derby 23 football deaths in 2001 NFL Notebook: Steelers' Smith gets $25 M deal

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