Enquirer news services

ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Rams have acquired offensive tackle Kyle Turley, who gained fame for his helmet-tossing altercation against the New York Jets during the 2001 season, in a trade with the New Orleans Saints.

The Rams will send a second-round selection in the 2004 NFL draft to the Saints, thus retaining their second-round pick in the draft nex month.

Turley, who is scheduled to earn a base salary of $3.389 million this season in the final year of his contract, has agreed to a five-year contract extension worth $26.5 million. It includes a signing bonus and other guaranteed money of $12 million.

The 6-foot-5, 300-pound Turley started 79 of 80 games the past five seasons. He played right tackle for the Saints from 1999 through 2001 but moved to left tackle last season after Willie Roaf was released.

Martz said Turley will line up at right tackle and Orlando Pace will line up at left tackle.

"He will impact us in the same way Marshall Faulk did and Aeneas Williams did," Martz said. "This is a major, major, major step in really solidifying the offensive line."

The Rams designated Pace their franchise player, but Pace's agent, Carl Poston, has requested the team trade him. Turley, 27, provides the Rams with insurance in the event of a long holdout by Pace.

With his tattoos and long blond hair, Turley has been known to march to the beat of his own drum. He's one of the NFL's nastiest players, and he should provide a huge measure of toughness to the Rams.

Turley was fined $25,000 after his actions cost the Saints a game against the Jets on Nov. 4, 2001.

Turley attacked Jets safety Damien Robinson after Robinson grabbed the face mask of Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks and twisted it. Turley ripped Robinson's helmet off and tossed it downfield, then made an obscene gesture.

Turley was thrown out of the game and given a 15-yard penalty that disrupted the Saints' chance of trying to tie or win the game. The Saints lost 16-9.

Turley, speaking on ESPN Radio's Dan Patrick Show last week, lashed out at the Saints and general manager Mickey Loomis.

On the Saints, Turley said: "They are bad-mouthing me in the media, saying that I'm a distraction. I am nothing but, and for them to say that about me in the media is very damaging to our relationship ... to the point where it's irreparable."

• The Rams signed running back Leon Johnson to a one-year contract. He ran for 329 yards and a touchdown and caught 16 passes for 125 yards in 16 games for the Bears last season. He has played six NFL seasons, four with the New York Jets and two with Chicago.

TILLMAN UPDATE: After forsaking his pro football career in order to serve his country after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, former Arizona safety Pat Tillman is getting his opportunity.

Tillman, who left a three-year, $3.6 million contract on the table last spring to enlist in the Army, has been deployed, presumably to the Middle East. Tillman and his brother, Kevin, are part of the 75th Ranger Regiment.

They did their Ranger training at Fort Benning, graduating during the 2002 NFL season. Through training and before being deployed within the past two weeks, he turned down all interview requests.

"They don't want recognition separate from their peers," Tillman's father, Patrick, said of his two sons. "It's a pretty elite crowd they're running with. All of those guys are stand-up guys."

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