USC's Sed Ellis and Lawrence Jackson Sign, Mike Williams Cut

Catching up with former USC players in the NFL, one-half of last year’s defensive line officially turned pro this week. One came in on time, the other was a late but apologetic.

Ending his holdout on Tuesday, Sedrick Ellis, the New Orleans Saints’ first round pick and #7 overall agreed to a five-year contract. The Saints General Manager, Mickey Loomis did not disclose the financial terms, but unidentified league sources, claim the contract is worth $49 million, with $19.5 million in guarantees.

Ellis, an All-America selection and the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year in 2007 at defensive tackle managed 58 tackles, 12½ tackles for losses and 8½ sacks, and also knocked down seven passes even though he was often double-teamed.

The Saints began training camp last Wednesday and began two-a-day practices on Thursdays, which put Ellis 12 practices behind the rest of the team. However, according to head coach Sean Payton and Ed Orgeron, the defensive line coach the 305-pound nose tackle showed up at the Saints practice facility at Millsaps College yesterday in good shape.

Ellis would have preferred to have arrived at camp on the first day and wished that the contract discussions hadn't lasted so long. He said. "It definitely weighed on my mind and I kept in really good contact with my agent and with officials on the team and we got it finished."

This is the second time that Ellis and Orgeron have worked together. Orgeron was the defensive line coach at USC when Ellis first arrived there. Orgeron took over the head coaching job at Mississippi after USC won 2005 National Championship. The Rebels let him go last year, and he signed on with the Saints.

In related news, Ellis’ teammate on the defensive line at USC last year, Lawrence Jackson inked a deal with the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks first-round draft pick and the 28^thpick overall is believed to have signed a five-year contract for a total of $11.25 million with $6.1 million in guarantees.

The 6-foot-4, 271-pound defensive end reported last Friday in time for the Seahawks first workout of training camp. He is the Seahawks' first first-round pick since Marcus Trufant in 2003 to sign in time to report for the first practice of training camp.

Two up and one down. Former USC receiver, Mike Williams, a first-round draft pick of the Detroit Lions in 2005 was cut yesterday by the Tennessee Titans. It was Williams’ third failed attempt to stick with an NFL team.

The Titans signed Williams back in November after he was cut by the Raiders. Even though Williams had shed thirty pounds, his conditioning and his inconsistency led to his release.