Brunell, Redskins Agree to Terms

Quarterback Mark Brunell of the Jacksonville Jaguars agreed to a seven-year, $43-million deal with the Washington Redskins late Thursday, clearing the way for a trade next month.

Brunell will receive an $8.6-million signing bonus, according to agent Leigh Steinberg, who concluded several weeks of negotiations with Redskin owner Dan Snyder.

Brunell is expected to displace Patrick Ramsey as the starter, giving Joe Gibbs the veteran he sought in his first season back as Washington’s coach after an 11-year retirement.

The deal cannot become official until the off-season trading period begins March 3.

The Redskins have offered the Jaguars a third-round draft pick for Brunell, according to a source familiar with the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity.

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The NFL is suing Orlando Brown for $500,000, claiming the Baltimore Raven offensive tackle owes the league the money because he returned after receiving an injury settlement.

Brown returned to the NFL last season with the Ravens after having been out of football since Dec. 19, 1999, when he was hit in the eye with a penalty flag while with the Cleveland Browns.

He reached a multimillion-dollar injury settlement in 2000.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the settlement provided that Brown repay the money if he returned to the NFL. McCarthy said the suit was filed after the player failed to respond to requests that he repay the money.

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Kansas City Chief running back Larry Johnson must perform community service and attend anger-management courses if he wants prosecutors to drop charges that he threatened a former girlfriend with a gun.

He was charged in December with aggravated assault and misdemeanor domestic battery after fighting with a former girlfriend. The charges will be dismissed if he completes the program, which includes 120 hours of community service.

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Danny Wuerffel, who spent six seasons as a backup quarterback with New Orleans, Green Bay and Washington, announced his retirement. The Redskins cut him last season during training camp, and he turned down an offer to return at midseason.

College Football

Nick Saban of Louisiana State signed a seven-year contract that guarantees at least $2.3 million this year, making him the highest-paid college football coach.

The deal was approved by a panel of the LSU governing board and was expected to be approved by the full board today.

Saban can earn an extra $400,000 a year in incentives based on postseason game appearances and team graduation rates.

With the incentives, Saban could make up to $2.7 million this year and up to $3.4 million in 2010, the final year of the contract. The new contract grows from the $1.6 million he earned in 2003.

Tennis

Sixth-seeded James Blake was defeated by big-serving Joachim Johansson for the second time in a week, losing, 6-3, 6-3, at the Kroger St. Jude tournament in Memphis, Tenn.

Johansson, who beat Blake at the Siebel Open in San Jose last Thursday, had 17 service aces to Blake’s seven.

Second-seeded Mardy Fish defeated Frederic Niemeyer, 1-6, 6-3, 7-5, and Thomas Enqvist beat Alexander Popp, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.

In the women’s draw, fourth-seeded Laura Granville defeated Kristina Brandi, 6-3, 7-5.

Top-ranked Justine Henin-Hardenne withdrew from the Diamond Games in Antwerp, Belgium, only hours before she was scheduled to play her first match because she had a sore throat. On the court, fifth-seeded Patty Schnyder defeated Julia Vakulenko, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-5, and ninth-seeded Magdalena Maleeva beat Iveta Benesova, 6-4, 6-4, to advance to the quarterfinals.... Top-seeded Roger Federer won his 16th consecutive match, defeating Andrei Pavel, 7-6 (2), 7-5, in the second round of the ABN Amro tournament at Rotterdam, the Netherlands. He will play fifth-seeded Tim Henman, who beat qualifier Tomas Cakl, 6-2, 6-4.