MILWAUKEE (AP) -The Green Bay Packers and center Scott Wells agreed to a five-year, $15 million contract extension, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been announced, said Wells' new contract includes $5 million in bonuses.

The deal will take effect after this season. Wells' current contract, a three-year deal he signed as a rookie that included a signing bonus of only $22,250, expires at the end of the year.

Wells was a seventh-round draft pick out of Tennessee in 2004. He played center in college, but shuffled between guard and center in his first two years with the Packers.

Wells became the team's full-time starting center this season after Mike Flanagan left as a free agent.

By signing Wells now, the Packers can count some of the money against this year's salary cap.

Wells took the blame for two fumbled snaps in the Packers' loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday but has earned praise from coaches in his first full season as a starting center in the NFL.

``Scott Wells is as dependable and trustworthy a player as we've got on offense,'' offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said Monday.

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AP Sports Writer Arnie Stapleton in Denver contributed to this report.

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