The Associated Press

PITTSFORD, N.Y. - First-round pick Willis McGahee and the Buffalo Bills agreed to a five-year deal Tuesday that potentially could be worth $15.5 million.

The contract includes a guaranteed two-tiered $4.15 million bonus, the second part of which will be paid at the end of the season. The deal also is heavily laden with incentives that more than double a base contract worth just more than $7 million, including bonuses.

The question now is when the Miami running back will be able to play, as he's still recovering after tearing three ligaments in his left knee during the school's loss to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.

As part of the agreement, the Bills hold the option to keep McGahee for a fifth season.

"We're very pleased," said McGahee's agent, Drew Rosenhaus. "They were very fair to Willis by structuring a deal that, including incentives, will give him the chance to be paid as a top-10 pick."

McGahee, the 23rd player selected, has spent the last month in Miami and is scheduled to travel to the Bills' training camp facility in suburban Rochester today.

The Bills are expected to place McGahee on the physically unable to perform list or the non-football injury list, which would put him on the sideline indefinitely this year.

"Frankly, I want Willis to do what's best for his future," Rosenhaus said. "But I think he can impress a lot of people and be a factor this year."

Before getting hurt, McGahee was projected to be one of the top three picks in the draft after he set school records with 1,753 yards rushing and 28 TDs last season.

JAGUARS: Jacksonville reached an agreement Tuesday with rookie quarterback Byron Leftwich on a five-year, $23 million contract, an NFL source told the Associated Press.

The source, speaking on condition he not be identified, said the contract had yet to be signed as of late Tuesday night, but that Leftwich almost certainly would sign and make it to training camp today.

The first-round draft pick out of Marshall missed 19 days of camp. As recently as Monday, both sides reported no significant progress in the stalled talks. Things apparently changed over 24 hours, although none of the parties were willing to give details.

Neither coach Jack Del Rio nor Leftwich's agent, Tom Condon, returned repeated messages left on their cell phones by the AP.

The source said Leftwich, the seventh pick in the draft, will make $11.4 million in bonuses over two seasons. The contract could be worth as much as $30 million if he reaches all the incentives in the deal. Incentives were thought to be the key issue in the negotiations.

BROWNS: Cleveland might not be able to afford a quarterback controversy next year.

Browns president Carmen Policy said Tuesday that although money isn't an issue this year, it would be tough to pay Tim Couch $7.6 million next season if he were the backup to Kelly Holcomb.

"That would not be difficult this year," Policy said. "But it might be next year."

Butch Davis' final evaluation of the quarterbacks is Friday's preseason game against Green Bay. He has said he will choose a starter by the preseason game Aug. 23 at Detroit.

Policy said he didn't know which quarterback Davis would pick, then added, "I hope he doesn't come under too much heat when he finally makes his decision."

PACKERS: Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila isn't one of those athletes who signs a big contract and swears the money won't change him.

"Yes, I'm going to change," said the Green Bay Packers' sack leader, who has a new seven-year, $37 million deal that included an $11 million signing bonus. "I hope for the better."

Gbaja-Biamila has 25 1/2 sacks the last two seasons and hopes to do something not even Reggie White could in Green Bay: register double-digit sacks three straight seasons.

At the team's annual stockholders meeting last month, coach Mike Sherman said "KGB" had become "an unblockable player. He's moved up to another echelon."

COWBOYS: Tony Banks still has a score to settle with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

Banks, now a backup quarterback with the Houston Texans, blames Jones for cutting him during the Cowboys' training camp two years ago. The Texans visit the Cowboys in a preseason game Friday night, and even though Dallas has a new coaching staff, Jones is still around.

"That's the only one who matters out there. That owner," Banks said.

REDSKINS: Center Larry Moore will be sidelined up to three weeks with a left knee injury, but the team thinks he will play in the season opener against the Jets on Sept. 4.

JETS: Defensive end Shaun Ellis left the morning practice because he was dehydrated. Coach Herman Edwards said Ellis lost weight the last few days and was lightheaded, so they sent him inside.

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