Willie Parker, an undrafted free agent in 2004 who became a 1,000-yard rusher in his first season as a starter last year, signed a new four-year, $13.6 million contract with the Steelers that includes a $3.75 million signing bonus.

The move puts Parker among the highest-paid players on the team and precludes him from becoming a restricted free agent at the end of the 2006 season.

Parker, who earned $309,840 last season when he finished as the seventh-leading rusher in the AFC, will earn a base salary of $425,000 this season -- the same amount he was scheduled to earn when he signed a one-year tender as an exclusive rights free agent in the offseason.

But his signing bonus is the fifth-highest given to a Steelers player, behind wide receiver Hines Ward, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, nose tackle Casey Hampton and tight end Heath Miller.

"We are very happy with the deal," said Jeff Sperbeck, one of the agents who represents Parker along with Elbert Avery and Doug Hendrickson. "Being a two-year, exclusive-rights guy, we are thrilled to be able to reach this type of agreement with the Steelers."

Parker was one of two players the Steelers were hoping to sign to a new contract before the start of the regular season. The other was cornerback Ike Taylor, who will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2006 season. But the Steelers and Scott Smith, Taylor's agent, haven't negotiated in nearly a month.

Parker would have become a restricted free agent at the end of the season and could have received offers from other NFL teams. The Steelers, though, would have had to tender Parker a qualifying offer to protect their right of first refusal and get a No. 1 draft choice in return if he signed with another team.

"We've been discussing it for a while, on and off, and in the past few weeks it became very serious," Sperbeck said.

Parker was one of the surprise players in the NFL last season, rushing for 1,202 yards on 255 carries in his first season as a starter. An undrafted free agent out of the University of North Carolina, he was second in the AFC to Kansas City's Larry Johnson in yards per carry (4.7) among 1,000-yard rushers.

"I like people doubting me," Parker said. "They want to know if I can do it again. Can I do it again? I don't know. We'll have to see."

Parker, who had only seven rushing attempts in the preseason, is one of several starters -- along with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger -- who will not play tonight against the Carolina Panthers.

"I'm ready for this final game to be over," Parker said. "The preseason games, I don't even feel like I got hit.