New Orleans Saints guard Jahri Evans gets record $56.7M deal | NFL

METAIRIE, La. — Once a fourth-round draft choice out of Division II Bloomsburg, Jahri Evans is now the highest-paid interior lineman in the NFL.

The Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints and Evans, who was both an All-Pro and Pro Bowler last season, agreed Wednesday on a seven-year contract worth nearly $57 million.

A person familiar with the contract told AP the deal was for $56.7 million, with $19 million guaranteed.

Evans' Philadelphia-based agent, Jerrold Colton, confirmed the deal was the richest contract ever given to an NFL guard.

Evans was a restricted free agent, meaning the Saints owned his rights after a deadline passed for him to sign offer sheets from other teams. However, Evans stayed away from New Orleans' first volunteer offseason workouts while general manager Mickey Loomis and Colton worked on a long-term deal.

Loomis announced the length of the deal Wednesday, and coach Sean Payton said the 6-foot-4, 318-pound guard earned it.

"It's important to recognize, with what we do offensively and the quarterback stepping up in the pocket, to have that size and talent inside the pocket I think is huge for Drew Brees and I think Drew would say the same thing," Payton said. "He's played since his rookie season at an extremely high level and what we've been able to accomplish as a team, offensively, his impact inside of the pocket, what he does, reflects a deal like that."

The Saints allowed 20 sacks last season, fourth fewest in the NFL.

New Orleans also led the league in offense for the third time in four seasons. Evans, 26, was part of Payton's first draft class in 2006 and has started all 64 regular-season games since, as well as all five of the Saints' postseason games during that period.

Payton stressed that Evans played a leading role in a running game that produced 2,106 yards with Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush sharing most of the carries.

Run-blocking was Evans' forte at Bloomsburg, which went undefeated in 2005 when Evans was the left tackle and helped starting running back Jamar Brittingham rush for 2,260 yards and 32 touchdowns. While scouts were impressed by Evans' ability to flatten defensive ends, it was difficult to know how well he'd do against tougher competition.

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