ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Rams have agreed to terms on a five-year contract with unrestricted free agent S Kim Herring of the Super Bowl XXXV Champion Baltimore Ravens. In another roster move, the Rams released S Keith Lyle.

Herring, 25, started 16 regular season games and two playoff games in 2000 at strong safety for the Ravens. Herring set career highs in tackles (66) and interceptions (three), while also making 12 passes defensed, one sack, two forced fumbles, and 11 special teams tackles. He also made an interception in Baltimore's 34-7 Super Bowl win over the New York Giants.

"He's a young player (Herring won't be 26 until the first week of the 2001 season) playing at an extremely high level on arguably the best defense in the history of the NFL," Rams' head coach Mike Martz said. "It's an opportunity that we feel we just can't pass up."

Herring, who played both free and strong safety for the Ravens, was a cornerstone of one of the NFL's stingiest defenses in history. Baltimore ranked second in total defense (247.9 yards allowed per game), first in run defense (60.6 yards per game) and eighth in pass defense (187.3 yards per game.) while allowing the fewest points in a 16-game season in NFL history (165).

Originally a second-round pick (58th overall) in the 1997 NFL Draft out of Penn State, Herring has started 43 of 54 regular season games, including 32 consecutive.

Lyle played all seven of his NFL seasons with the Rams. Originally a third-round draft choice (71st overall) in the 1994 NFL Draft out of Virginia, Lyle started 16 games in 2000, finishing second on the team with 115 tackles. Lyle added one interception, four passes defensed, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one touchdown, and two special teams tackles.

"This is the hardest thing I've had to do as a head coach," Martz said of Lyle's release. "It's a decision that did not come easy, but a decision I felt I had to make in the best interest of the team. Keith's been a tremendous player for us for many years. He's been a leader and we'll miss his presence." ---