In an important move the team locked up a key young player, this being Newberry, who in the last year overtook Ray Brown as the team best lineman.

Losing Newberry meant that the team would have faced the possibility of losing 40% of the offensive line that has started for the past two seasons. The future of Brown, who also made his first Pro Bowl in 2001 despite being almsot 40 years of age, is uncertain at this point.

Many rated Newberry as being amongst the top ten players on the open market, and the fifth year center would have been sure to draw interest from around the league.

If the former University of California center had signed with another team it would have been a big setback to the team as the 6'5" 315 lb lineman is typical of the kind of young, haungry and talented player that team management has built it's rebirth around.