EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) -Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Pat Williams will sign a three-year contract extension with the team, he said after Thursday’s practice.
Williams is making $2.65 million this season, the final installment of the original deal he signed with the Vikings in March 2005.
The 34-year-old has given them their money’s worth with perhaps the two best seasons of his career, helping Minnesota finish with the second-fewest yards rushing allowed in one year since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Williams went to the Pro Bowl for the first time last season.
“Everything’s great now, so I ain’t got to be worried about packing my bags,” Williams said. “It’s straight home. All purple and gold.”
Last December, the Vikings locked up Williams’ partner on the line, fellow defensive tackle Kevin Williams, to a seven-year contract worth as much as $50 million with $16 million guaranteed that lasts through 2013.
“It was great to stay here, because I love playing beside Kevin,” Williams said.
Williams, who spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Buffalo Bills, was credited by Minnesota coaches last year with 39 solo tackles, one sack, and 11 tackles for loss. He has deceptive quickness off the snap for his size – about 330 pounds – and has been consistently disruptive in the opponent’s backfield since joining the Vikings.
He could have waited until free agency next spring and possibly received a richer deal, but Williams said he wasn’t worried about maximizing his worth on the market. The length of the contract will allow him to retire when it expires after the 2010 season, he said.
“I’m happy with it,” Williams said. “I can call this home.”
Angelo Wright, the agent for Williams, said on the first day of training camp that his client had begun his final season with Minnesota when an agreement on an extension wasn’t reached. But Williams, whose current contract included $6 million guaranteed and up to $13 million over three years, said Thursday that he believed it would happen.
“I knew they would get a deal done. Coach Childress gave me his word,” Williams said.
Because the contract had not been confirmed by the front office, coach Brad Childress deferred comment until the expected completion of the deal on Friday.
“I’ve always stated that he’s a valuable member of our football team. I’ve always had a good relationship with him,” Childress said.
Williams is the seventh player the Vikings have signed to a contract extension over the past year to pre-empt free agency.
Wright didn’t immediately return calls Thursday. Foxsports.com reported late Wednesday night that the extension Williams will sign is worth up to $22 million with $9.5 million guaranteed.
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