Northcutt's contract is worth $9 million

No one could have predicted the twists in the Browns' player's saga.
BEREA (AP) -- Dennis Northcutt has learned to watch his words and to always read the fine print.
Two months after saying he would never again play for the Cleveland Browns, Northcutt returned to the team Monday after signing a new, three-year $9 million contract.
Northcutt's arrival ended a contentious period that began when his agent, Jerome Stanley, missed a deadline denying the wide receiver free agency.
In March, Northcutt vowed his days with the Browns were over.
"Never say never," a relieved Northcutt said following Monday morning's workout. "You can prepare for the future but you can't predict it."
No one could have predicted the twists in Northcutt's contract saga.
Terms
His new deal will pay him a $750,000 salary next season and includes a $2.25 million signing bonus. He is also due a $2 million roster bonus next March 15. If the Browns choose not to pay it, Northcutt would be a free agent.
"I'm not worrying about none of that right now," Northcutt said. "I'm happy. I got what I wanted right now. I'm ready to work and move on."
The Browns are thrilled to have him back, too. Northcutt has been Cleveland's top playmaker the past two seasons, leading the club in touchdowns (8) in 2002 and receptions (62) last season.
He turned down a five-year $15 million contract last season and left in January unsure of his future but excited about the prospect of free agency.
However, Northcutt's hopes were dashed when Stanley missed a Feb. 19 deadline to void the final three years of his contract.
That led to a mess: the Browns trying to trade him; Stanley asserting the club failed to negotiate in good faith; Northcutt filing a grievance and both sides exchanging barbs.
"It was just business," Northcutt said. "It was hard because I wanted the best for me. I knew I couldn't take it [what the Browns said] personal."
Client forgiving
Through it all, Northcutt remained loyal to Stanley, whose failure to meet the deadline nearly cost his client millions.
"I believe he made a mistake," Northcutt said. "I believed in him. He's not a person that had a reputation of messing up. He made a mistake, and I wasn't going to fire him because of a mistake."
Northcutt said the biggest breakthrough in his return to Cleveland happened in March when he met in Los Angeles with Davis, who was there to see USC's pre-draft workout.
The two spoke candidly about the past, with Davis telling Northcutt he wanted him back.
"It was wonderful," Northcutt said. "It was the first step. Once I knew how they felt about me, I knew I could come back here and play."
Davis appreciated Northcutt's sticky situation more than most. Before he became Cleveland's head coach three years ago, Davis said he would never leave the University of Miami.
"Dennis, how old are you?" Davis asked.
"Twenty-six," Northcutt said.
"See," the 52-year-old Davis said. "At 26, he learned something that took me 'til 49 [to learn]. You never say never. His learning curve wasn't as long as mine."
Northcutt's new contract also includes another roster bonus in 2006, some workout bonuses and performance incentives. The deadlines are clearly defined, too.
And this time, Northcutt said he knows where every dot, comma and decimal point is located.
"When you're young you don't know what's going on, it's just, 'Sign here, cool,"' Northcutt said. "I read everything and through this process I learned so much. I certainly got a lot of knowledge out of this thing."