Colt signs a 4-year, $1.8 mil deal with Washington

About signing his contract, Colt said:
"It feels great to sign." (HA)

HA Note: "Brennan said he signed a standard four-year contract, with a first-year base salary of $295,000, if he makes the team. He said he will receive a signing bonus of $96,800, which is in the ballpark for the 20th selection of the sixth round. Defensive end Michael Gibson, who was selected by Philadelphia two spots ahead of Brennan, received a signing bonus of $98,000. Defensive end Christopher Harrington, who was selected by Arizona one pick ahead of Brennan, received a signing bonus of $73,000. But Harrington's contract is for three years."

HA Note: "Brennan also could earn an additional $650,000 if he is with the Redskins for a fourth season. The minimum fourth-year salary for a player entering the league in 2008 is $550,000. But Brennan, like most drafted rookies, is believed to have an escalator clause, which would pay him $1.2 million as a fourth-year player in 2011, according to an agent familiar with NFL contracts. Brennan said he has been told the Redskins would be open to renegotiations if he does well in his first three years."

About being medically cleared to participate in all drills during training camp, Colt said:
"I'm happy to be healthy and ready to play." (HA)

"It's not about the injury anymore. It's just about being back in shape and getting a chance to go out there on the same level as everybody else and competing." (HSB)

HA Note: "Still rated a high draft pick after the 2007 regular season, Brennan's stock dropped after the 41-10 loss to Georgia in which he threw three interceptions and after he weighed only 185 pounds at the Senior Bowl."

Happy to be healthy and have his contract done, Colt said:
"I'm more so glad that I got cleared medically and I'm allowed to go out there on Sunday and start working out a hundred percent. I've got nothing holding me back and I got my contract done, and I'm just glad to get back in the swing of things." (HSB)

HA Note: "With only four quarterbacks currently listed on the roster, Brennan's competition for the No. 3 spot will be Derek Devine, a 6-foot-3, 222-pound quarterback from Marshall. The Redskins signed Devine as a free agent in May. Undrafted, Devine originally signed with the Seattle Seahawks in 2007 but was released before the season. Last week, the Redskins released quarterback Sam Hollenbach, a former Maryland standout who was on the Redskins' 53-man roster for the team's final three games, including one playoff game. Hollenbach had served as the third quarterback in all three games."

About signing a standard rookie contract, colt said:
"I knew going into this whole situation that I was getting a standard deal for a sixth-round pick, and that was great with me." (HSB)

Colt said that his agents Bruce and Ryan Tollner:
"tried everything to make it as best as possible for me, and I think everybody's happy with everything that worked out." (HSB)

About working out hard in Washington, Colt said:
"I'm here last week and all this week just running and lifting hard and trying to get back in shape and get ready for Sunday. I've got a clear bill of health, and I've got to go out there and prove myself. For me it's about getting in shape and getting back to using my legs and firing a bunch of muscles I haven't fired in a long time." (HSB)

About Colt, Joshua Miyazawa's father Jeff said:
"Colt is even nicer than we had imagined. He always came across as a humble guy, but watching him with Josh, he was like just one of the boys." (HA)

"It was neat to see. Colt was very engaging with Josh." (HA)

HA Note: "Joshua, who underwent open-heart surgery in May to patch a hole in his atrial wall, zeroed in on the star QB during last season's home games against Boise State and Washington. In an interview with The Advertiser last month, Joshua called Brennan his favorite athlete.

Brennan, who is in D.C. preparing for his first season with the Washington Redskins, became a fan of Miyazawa after hearing about the young athlete's quick rebound from surgery and his selection to represent Hawai'i at the prestigious White House game.

And so, just hours after signing a four-year, $1.8 million rookie contract with the Redskins, Brennan and girlfriend Shakti Stream celebrated with a lunchtime meeting with Joshua and his family at the historic Old Ebbets Grill in downtown Washington."

About spending part of yesterday meeting with the Miyazawa family, Colt said:
"They're a fun family. It was a great experience. It was a privilege for me to meet him. It was awesome to hear his story." (HA)

"I got to meet a great family, and it was great to see some Hawaii people and just have fun and hang out." (HSB)

HA Note: "Though a bit shy at first, it didn't take Joshua long to warm up to his gridiron idol. By the time the two said their so-longs, three hours had flown by."