ASHBURN, Va., March 11 (UPI) -- The Washington Redskins' raid of the New York Jets continued Tuesday when wide receiver Laveranues Coles said he had agreed to an offer sheet.
A restricted free agent, Coles visited Redskins offices for the second straight day on Tuesday and said he has come to terms on an offer sheet, although the Redskins did not make an official announcement.
"We verbally agreed" to an offer sheet," Coles said on the Redskins' official website. "It's important (the Redskins) made a commitment to me. I'm excited about the opportunity to come here and play."
Various published reports say Coles has agreed to a seven-year, $35 million offer sheet that includes a $13 million signing bonus.
If Washington officially tenders an offer sheet to Coles, the Jets will have seven days to match the offer. If New York does not match, the Redskins would keep Coles and give the Jets their 2003 first-round draft pick, which is 13th overall.
The Jets have until Thursday to decide whether to match the Redskins' five-year, $8 million offer sheet to Jets kick returner Chad Morton. The Redskins already have signed starting guard Randy Thomas and kicker John Hall away from the Jets as free agents.
The Jets reportedly offered Coles a six-year, $24 million deal that included a $6 million signing bonus, far less than the Redskins' offer.
"They already made the statement to me that they don't pay that kind of money," Coles told Newsday.
The 5-11 Coles had a breakout season in 2002, catching 89 passes for 1,264 yards with five touchdowns. He became the standout receiver in an offense that also featured wide receivers Santana Moss and Wayne Chrebet.
In his first two seasons in the league Coles played in 29 games and started 19. He totaled 81 catches those two seasons for 1,238 yards with eight touchdowns.
Coles, who played college football at Florida State, is a speed receiver with good hands. He grew up in Jacksonville, Fla., and went to the rival high school of current Redskins wide receiver Rod Gardner.
If Coles becomes a Redskin, he will catch passes from Patrick Ramsey and Rob Johnson, who was officially signed by Washington on Tuesday.
Johnson, 29, provides the Redskins with a veteran backup to Ramsey, a first-round pick in 2002. Washington's two other quarterbacks from last season - Shane Matthews and Danny Wuerffel - are unrestricted free agents.
Over his eight-year career, Johnson has passed for 5,702 yards and 30 touchdowns and rushed for 856 yards. He is often guilty of holding the ball too long, resulting in a high number of sacks.
Johnson started 26 of 30 games with the Buffalo Bills from 1998-2001 before signing as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season.
