Alan Faneca, seven times a Pro Bowler, became the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history yesterday when he agreed to a $40 million contract with the New York Jets.

The five-year contract includes $21 million in guaranteed money, according to his agent, Rick Smith. Faneca, a 10-year starter for the Steelers at left guard, will have a physical in New York, where he plans to sign the contract Monday.

"I'm relieved," Faneca said early last night. "There was a lot of thinking going on, I'm glad to have it settled."

He leaves a team whose offensive line has declined the past two seasons with the loss of Pro Bowl center Jeff Hartings a year ago and now Faneca.

The Jets won only four games last season after reaching the playoffs in 2006, but have made two big moves in the past two days to get back to playoff contention. They also acquired defensive tackle Kris Jenkins in a trade with the Carolina Panthers. Faneca believes the Jets will improve.

"Just in a little talking I have done with [coach] Eric [Mangini], they have the right attitude to do what it takes," Faneca said. "As we know in this league anymore, a four-win team is the next one who is going to win."

Faneca will play left guard between two young players also drafted in the first round -- center Nick Mangold and tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson.

"That's another challenge for him," Smith said, adding it's another reason the Jets' wanted the veteran guard.

Faneca said he will always covet his 10 years with the Steelers.

"It was a great ride, I am going to miss it," he said. "The Steelers and the city of Pittsburgh will always be close to the hearts of me and my family, and the friends we made there are lifelong."

In the meantime, while the Steelers placed the transition tag on backup offensive tackle Max Starks, there have been no negotiations to try to sign him to a long-term contract. Eugene Parker, his agent, said he does not know what the club's intentions are for Starks.

With only $2.4 million worth of room under the salary cap, the Steelers cannot afford to keep for long the nearly $7 million of salary cap reserved for Starks, not if they intend to conclude negotiations to extend quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's contract.

The team can withdraw the transition tag at any point, which would make Starks an unrestricted free agent. Starks is the only player in the NFL to receive a transition tag, something the Steelers have not used in years. The tag is not binding either way unless Starks would sign it, but it does give the Steelers the right to match any contract Starks might sign elsewhere.

Faneca is the first of their unrestricted free agents to come to terms with another team. The Steelers signed just one of their prospective UFAs before the free agency period began Friday -- backup defensive end Travis Kirschke.

Clark Haggans is the next most marketable of the Steelers' free agents, and he could be headed to New York as well because the Giants have joined the teams interested in him, the Newark Star-Ledger reported. The Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots also have expressed interest in Haggans, the Steelers' starting left outside linebacker the past four seasons.

The Steelers' other UFAs are fullback Dan Kreider, quarterback Brian St. Pierre, running back Verron Haynes, linebackers Marquis Cooper and Andre Frazier and defensive end Nick Eason.