Patriots Give USC’s McGinest 4-Year Deal Worth $6 Million

USC’s Willie McGinest, the fourth player taken in the NFL draft, signed a four-year, $6-million contract with the New England Patriots on Tuesday.

The contract includes a $3.3-million signing bonus and salaries of $500,000, $625,000, $750,000 and $875,000.

Bob Kraft, who became the Patriots’ owner Jan. 21, said he had no intention of waiting for other teams to establish a salary scale by signing their picks first. Dan Wilkinson, the top choice in the draft, is the only other first-rounder who has signed.

“We just decided we’re going to run our own business and not be dependent on other people and the standards that they set,” Kraft said.

Said McGinest: “I just wanted what was fair. I wasn’t going to try to drag this thing out. I have money now so the only thing left is playing football.”

The signing came just five days after Andre Tippett, seventh in NFL history with 100 sacks, ended his 12-year career, opening up an outside linebacker spot for McGinest, who played that position at USC before switching to defensive end last season.

“I got really excited” about that opportunity when he heard Tippett retired, said McGinest, who had 28 sacks in college, “but I was a little disappointed because I did want to play with him for a year.”

Combining his $500,000 salary with this year’s $825,000 prorated portion of the bonus, McGinest will make about 41% of the $3.2 million salary pool the league allotted for the Patriots to spend on their 10 draft picks.