Colts Match Offer To Coryatt

The $18 million offer extended to linebacker Quentin Coryatt by the Jacksonville Jaguars was matched Wednesday by Indianapolis.

Jacksonville had signed Coryatt on Feb. 21 to an offer worth $18 million for four years, the largest contract offer to a linebacker.

Coryatt also would have received a $6 million signing bonus from the Jaguars, the most for a linebacker.

Tobin said the Colts’ contract offer to Coryatt will go to an arbitrator to determine the contract’s length. “But regardless, we have decided to bite the bullet and match it whether it is five or six years,” Tobin said.

In other Colts news, the team signed free-agent offensive tackle Troy Auzenne from Chicago.

Niners, Hampton close

Team president Carmen Policy said the San Francisco 49ers are moving faster than expected in negotiations with free-agent running back Rodney Hampton, and that an offer sheet could be finalized today and tendered Friday.

Hampton, the leading rusher in New York Giants history, is expected to receive a six-year offer in the neighborhood of $15 million.

Tampa Bay matched the 49ers’ offer sheet on kicker Michael Husted but not on safety Curtis Buckley, who agreed to a four-year deal worth $1.5 million.

Cardinals sign Lomas Brown

Even after reaching a tentative agreement on a three-year, $9 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals, Lomas Brown made a last-gasp attempt to work out a less lucrative deal with the Lions.

Failing at that, the most unhappy Lion in recent years has become the most bitter former Lion in recent years. Brown, an 11-year veteran and five-time Pro Bowl starter at offensive tackle for the Lions, said he will fly Friday to Phoenix to sign with the Cardinals.

Detroit’s only offer was for two years and $4.4 million, Brown said.

It is believed the Lions are close to signing four-year veteran left tackle Ray Roberts of Seattle as a replacement for Brown. The Lions also have re-signed outside linebacker Antonio London, a restricted free agent who was one of their more effective pass rushers with seven sacks last season.

Coleman waits

Another day passed for Dolphins defensive end Marco Coleman and still the three-year, $9.6 million offer sheet from the San Diego Chargers hasn’t been signed - at least officially. Agent Brian Ransom told an NFL source that the offer has been signed, but isn’t saying so publicly.

The Chargers were still trying to find room under the salary cap to fit Coleman’s $3.1 million cap number for this season. They may cut wide receiver Shawn Jefferson.

Locke, Tagliabue meet

Paul Tagliabue, the NFL commissioner, met with Seattle government and business officials hoping to keep the Seahawks from moving to Southern California.

In a 2-1/2-hour meeting in New York City, Tagliabue advised Gary Locke, the King County executive, John Nordstrom, the team’s former owner, and Peter von Reichbauer, the city council’s budget committee chairman, to resolve the team’s lease situation “in court or in some other fashion.”

The wife of Seattle defensive lineman Cortez Kennedy filed for divorce three days after he was arrested for domestic violence Feb. 12, court records show.