THIBODAUX, La., July 29 (UPI) -- Donte' Stallworth, the first wide receiver selected in the 2002 draft, signed a six-year contract with the New Orleans Saints on Monday.
Terms were not disclosed, but the deal is reportedly worth $8.9 million over the first five years.
Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis and Stallworth's agent, Jimmy Sexton, conducted a marathon negotiating session on Sunday after Stallworth missed the first three days of training camp.
"He (Stallworth) had a couple of hours of sleep and came out and practiced," Saints Coach Jim Haslett said. "Donte' is the real deal. He's extremely fast. He made a couple of nice catches."
The Saints are expecting the lightning-fast receiver from Tennessee to beat out Jerome Pathon for a starting spot opposite Joe Horn.
The 6-0, 197-pound Stallworth blew away scouts with his speed in the predraft workouts, running in the low 4.2s in the 40-yard dash, and was selected 13th overall by the Saints.
With second-year player Deuce McAllister taking over as the feature back, Saints offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy plans to spead the field more with three receivers -- Horn, Stallworth and Pathon.
Stallworth declared for the draft following his junior year at Tennessee and then decided to go back to school, but eventually re-entered after the NCAA ruled he would not be reinstated.
Stallworth missed three games in his final collegiate season but still managed 41 catches for 821 yards and 10 touchdowns. He had 35 catches for 519 yards and a TD as a sophomore.
New Orleans signed defensive end Charles Grant, their
second-round first-round pick, last Friday and guard-center LeCharles Bentley, their second-round pick, on Saturday.
