Kelly Signs With Lions

Tampa Bay free agent cornerback Brian Kelly has signed with the Detroit Lions (Getty)

Tampa Bay free agent cornerback Brian Kelly has signed with the Detroit Lions (Getty)

Tampa Bay free agent cornerback Brian Kelly signed with the Detroit Lions on Saturday. Kelly, 32, bought himself out of the final year of his contract with the Bucs and became a free agent on Feb. 29. He notched 22 career interceptions in 10 seasons with the Bucs.



Cornerback Brian Kelly's 10-year tenure in Tampa Bay officially came to an end Saturday when he signed a three-year contract with the Detroit Lions.

Kelly, 32, paid $500,000 to Tampa Bay in order to buy himself out of the final year of his contract, which allowed him to become an unrestricted free agent on Feb. 29.

The 5-foot-11, 193-pound Kelly originally entered the NFL with the Bucs as a second-round pick in the 1998 NFL Draft.

Kelly notched 429 career tackles, 22 interceptions, two forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and 118 passes defensed in 130 games (79 starts). He was Tampa Bay's starting left cornerback on the Bucs' Super Bowl XXXVII team.

The former USC Trojan has struggled with injuries over the past two seasons, playing in just 13 games over the span. Last season, Kelly played in 11 games (four starts) and notched 25 tackles, two interceptions and nine passes defensed.

Even though Tampa Bay still has Ronde Barber and Phillip Buchanon under contract, Kelly's departure has the Buccaneers in the market for a cornerback. They are expected to sign one in free agency and/or select one in the 2008 NFL Draft.

In the meantime, Detroit, which had the 32nd-ranked defense in the NFL last year, continues to collect former Tampa Bay defensive players. In addition to Kelly, Bucs restricted free agent safety Kalvin Pearson has already signed an offer sheet with the Lions. The Bucs have until Mar. 12 to match it.

The Lions have also signed several other former Bucs players over the last two years, including defensive tackle Chartric Darby, safety Dwight Smith and defensive end Dewayne White.

Those former Tampa Bay players have been recruited by Detroit head coach Rod Marinelli, defensive coordinator coach Joe Barry and defensive backs coach Jimmy Lake, all of who previously worked on the Buccaneers coaching staff.

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Comments

mostlarge

I wonder what he signed for.
Did he take a pay cut to get out of Ronde's shadow?

10:46am, March 9, 2008

hwaii50

Hey - I am a fan of BK's....when he is able to play and not nursing an injury. He is not going to get any younger. Good move by the Bucs to let him seek employment elsewhere and good luck to you BK. I hope you stay healthy.

3:04pm, March 9, 2008

Horse

Great for him. He's 32 and that is old for a corner. I wish him the best.
We still have 1st, 2nd, 3rd round picks and I hope that we select DL, CB, WR. Somehow we should draft draft a QB for future potential in Round 5 or 7. I think that we are still in good shape. Kelly leaving really doesn't effect us.
Go Bucs

4:46pm, March 9, 2008

DLS5492

I once again agree with you Horse hwaii50. I am also a big BK fan. But, he's been hurt the last couple of years and its time to start getting younger at that position. God's best to you BK. Thanks for helping the Bucs get a super bowl championship.

6:44pm, March 9, 2008

nickg

I'd be interested to know how much he got.

9:30am, March 10, 2008

cremdon

good luck b k.

10:54am, March 10, 2008

kysteve9

DLS5492, I agree, BK has been a great player for us but time to move on. I have always been a BK fan and wish him the best. I think he will get lots of Playing time in TB North. Sorry to see him go, but most likely best deal for him finacially as well as playing time.

I see trend to get younger and faster in TB. Just as long as we keep some experience and leadership sprinkled in to season the new guys we should do okay.

nickg...I hope he got a bunch...I am sure he will get more from them than from us...not saying he doesn't deserve it just a fact. They need him more than we do at the present time. You never know about a trade like this it could haunt us down the road but he has to do what is best for BK and his family.

GO BUCS!!!!!!!

2:12pm, March 10, 2008

nickg

Did the Bucs sign Pearson?

3:03pm, March 10, 2008

pinkstob

I will say this. Since BK's 2nd season I have yet to see this secondary do well on a consistent basis without him in it. We gave up big plays in '03, '06 and the one constant was that BK wasn't out there. Even last year the D got a big boost and jumped back into the top 5 once BK took the field again. Until the secondary shows they can consistently lock things down without BK I'll say that this was a big loss.

Now there are a lot of good CB's in the draft (my personal favorite is A. Cason) so if we land one of those guys maybe we'll be alright. We did find T. Jackson in the 4th round so I trust the scouting department.

2:58pm, March 11, 2008

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