ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Rams replaced retiring kicker Jeff Wilkins almost immediately, signing Seattle Seahawks kicker Josh Brown to a five-year, $14.2 million deal late last night.

Wilkins, the St. Louis Rams' career leading scorer and the best active long-range kicker in the NFL, announced his retirement yesterday after 14 seasons. Shortly afterward, Brown was on the move.

"We signed the best kicker," coach Scott Linehan said today at a news conference. "It's a pretty unique day."

Brown, who spent the last five seasons with Seattle, was seventh in the league in scoring in 2007 with a career-high 127 points, including 28 of 34 field goals. In 2006, Brown kicked a pair of field goals to defeat the Rams. He was a top priority for the Seahawks to re-sign last month and Seattle was believed to have offered him $14 million to stay.

The Rams offered more, including a $4 million signing bonus — the league's largest for a kicker. Linehan said the Rams judged Brown the best free agent "period" available at any position.

Brown wanted to move closer to his family in Tulsa, Okla., and had been talking with the Chiefs and Falcons before Wilkins' retirement put the Rams in the picture.

"St. Louis wasn't even on the radar, and I got a call late Friday morning and was on a plane later that night," Brown said. "They just blew me away with their offer. I can't tell you exactly how it feels to be received and wanted that way by a ballclub."

Wilkins' departure leaves the Rams with three players from their Super Bowl victory in 2000: offensive tackle Orlando Pace, wide receiver Torry Holt and defensive end Leonard Little.

Isaac Bruce, who caught a touchdown pass in that game, was released in a salary cap move on Thursday.

The 35-year-old Wilkins had 1,223 points and 265 field goals with the Rams, finding a home after playing one season for the Eagles and two for the 49ers. He also leads the franchise in field goal attempts (328) and a success rate of 80.8 percent.

Wilkins retired due to chronic leg and lower back woes.

"Throughout my 11 years with the Rams, everybody in the organization has been fantastic from top to bottom," Wilkins said. "But my retirement is the best for me, my family and the Rams."

Wilkins was so accurate, former coach Mike Martz nicknamed him "Money."

"Jeff has been one of the best kickers that I have ever seen," Rams coach Scott Linehan said. "We will miss him here, but we also wish him well in retirement."

From 49 yards or longer, Wilkins was 39-for-50 for his career and 38-for-49 with the Rams. Among active kickers with 20 or more attempts, his 78 percent success rate from 49 yards or longer is the best in the NFL and his 25 field goals most in league history.

Wilkins hit a franchise-record 57-yard field goal in 1998 against the Falcons, and was perfect on 17 field goals in 2000, tying Tony Zendejas' franchise record for field goal percentage in a season.

He retires having hit 371 consecutive extra-point kicks, a franchise record and tied for the best in NFL history with Jason Elam (1993-2002).

Wilkins went to the Pro Bowl in 2003 after leading the NFL in scoring with 163 points, going 39-for-42 on field goal attempts that season. He's the only kicker in NFL history to make a field goal as time expired in the first half, second half and to end an overtime.

Brown's departure leaves the Seahawks in somewhat of a scramble for a key scorer. They have used most of their available money under the 2008 salary cap on placing their franchise-tag designation on Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Trufant, signing free agent Mike Wahle to start at left guard, and re-signing right tackle Sean Locklear.

Brown carried the franchise-tag designation in 2006.

Denver's Elam, a former University of Hawaii kicker, is the most highly regarded kicker remaining on the free-agent market.