Stepping up well in advance of his free agency eligibility, the New York Giants have signed left guard Rich Seubert to a four-year contract extension, one that should keep the emerging young standout blocker with the club through the 2007 season.

The move is reflective of the regard the Giants possess for Seubert, who started all 16 games in 2002, and also of the free agency defections the club has suffered this spring from a line that was one of the NFL's finest units last season. New York lost the entire right side of its line, with guard Jason Whittle moving to Tampa Bay and tackle Mike Rosenthal signing with Minnesota.

Left tackle Luke Petitgout, after a brief stint as an unrestricted free agent, signed a long-term deal to return to the Giants, and center Chris Bober is back as well.

Given that Seubert is just a two-year veteran, an "exclusive rights" player unable to negotiate with any other teams, the Giants only had to make him a $375,000 qualifying offer to retain him. He would not have been eligible for unrestricted free agency until the spring of 2005.

Team officials decided, though, that they wanted to retain Seubert for the long-term, and to maintain some continuity on their line, so they aggressively pursued a longer deal. The four-year extension is worth approximately $9.2 million in so-called "new money," and its value could be enhanced significantly through escalator clauses.

If the former Western Illinois star develops as Giants line coach Jim McNally feels that he will, and reaches his Pro Bowl-caliber potential, the escalators could be achievable.

Seubert, 24, received a $1.4 million signing bonus and will pocket a second-tier option bonus of $1.6 million next spring. He will earn the $375,000 base salary for 2003 that was scheduled for him. Under the extension segment of his contract, the base salaries are $550,000 (2004), $1.25 million (2005), $1.75 million (2006) and $2.25 million (2007).

The deal is extraordinary in that Seubert, originally signed as an undrafted college free agent in 2001, had played in just two games before last season. But the massive Seubert (6-feet-5, 305 pounds) won the starting job at left guard in preseason, as the club shuffled its line and accommodated youth, and kept it throughout the year.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.