The Associated Press

NAPA, Calif. - Offensive tackle Robert Gallery, the second overall pick in the NFL draft, signed a 7-year contract with the Oakland Raiders on Thursday.

A source familiar with the negotiations, who requested anonymity, said the deal could pay Gallery as much as $18.5 million in guaranteed money and $60 million over the length of the contract.

"It was very important. For me to do the best job I can and do the things I wanted to do, I had to be here on the first day," Gallery said.

"I went through the whole process and knew kind of where I stood. Signing your name under those numbers kind of took my breath away and I was kind of shaky signing my contract."

JETS: Chad Pennington plans to make the first opening-day start of his career in September - with or without a new contract.

Pennington's agent, Tom Condon, and the New York Jets are negotiating a new deal for the quarterback.

But Pennington has told Condon talks will be shelved until the end of the season if a deal isn't reached by Aug. 31.

"I've made sure it won't be a distraction, that's why I've allowed them to discuss it through August but after that there are no discussions," Pennington said.

"As far as I'm concerned, after today I'm not talking about it."

Pennington is entering the final season of a five-year deal that will pay him a base salary of $4.57 million in 2004.

• The Jets signed their remaining four draft picks: third-round selection Derrick Strait, fourth-rounders Jerricho Cotchery and Adrian Jones, and sixth-rounder Marko Cavka.

BROWNS: Quarterback Luke McCown and three other draft picks signed with the Cleveland, leaving top pick Kellen Winslow as the team's lone unsigned rookie.

The Browns agreed to five-year contracts with McCown, a fourth-round pick; defensive lineman Amon Gordon, a fifth-round selection; and running back Adimchinobe Echemandu, a seventh-round pick.

Safety Sean Jones of Georgia also signed, but the second-round pick likely will miss the entire season with a torn ligament in his left knee.

Winslow's agent, Kevin Poston, met with the Browns on Wednesday at the team's headquarters, but left without reaching a deal.

BEARS: Lance Briggs, who started 13 games at outside linebacker last season, moved to the middle as the temporary replacement for Pro Bowler Brian Urlacher, who pulled a hamstring Wednesday, and is expected to be out several weeks.

Smith said second-year man Hunter Hillenmeyer and rookie Jeremy Cain also would get a chance to fill in for Urlacher.

RAVENS: Baltimore cornerback Dale Carter will miss the season because a blood clot in his lung.

"It's quite serious, very serious to the degree that it was life-threatening," Baltimore coach Brian Billick said.

"He is on blood thinners and will be for six months. That will preclude him from playing this year."

Carter joined the Ravens as a free agent, following an 11-year career with stints in Kansas City, Denver, Minnesota and New Orleans.

Carter said his illness was discovered after an at-home workout in Houston last month.

• Billick reportedly has signed a contract extension. It is believed that Billick will be around for at least four more seasons and that he now ranks among the NFL's highest paid coaches, at $4 million-$4.5 million per year, reports ESPN.com.

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