<div class="story-header"> <h1 class="storyTitle">Kelly signs seven-year, $50.5 million contract with Raiders</h1> <div class="byLine"> <p class="author">By John Clayton
ESPN.com
(
<font color="#000000">Archive</font>)</p> <div class="sp-clear"></div> </div> <div class="promoPlug"></div> <div class="sp-clear"></div> </div> <div class="sp-col1"> <div class="sp-col1-inner"> <div class="page-tools"> <p class="lastUpdate" style="FLOAT: left">Updated: February 28, 2008, 2:00 PM ET</p>
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The
<font color="#000000">Oakland Raiders</font> stepped forward Thursday on the eve of free agency and signed
<font color="#000000">Tommy Kelly</font> to the largest contract ever given to a defensive tackle.</p> <div class="inline-mug">
Kelly</p> </div>
Kelly, a defensive end scheduled to move to defensive tackle this season, signed a seven-year, $50.5 million contract Thursday that has $18.125 million in guarantees. In the first three years of the deal, he will make $25.125 million.</p>The Raiders' plan is for the 300-pound Kelly to replace the retiring
<font color="#000000">Warren Sapp</font> as the three-technique defensive tackle in the Raiders' 4-3 defense. The move is similar to the one made last year by the
<font color="#000000">Detroit Lions</font>'
<font color="#000000">Cory Redding</font>, a franchise player who signed a seven-year, $47.5 million deal last summer, the highest among defensive tackles at the time. Like Kelly, Redding was an effective run-stopping end with some pass-rush ability so the Lions believed he could move to tackle, work next to
<font color="#000000">Shaun Rogers</font> and create a solid 1-2 interior defensive tackle punch. The Raiders believe Kelly can emerge as one of the league's best interior defenders. Kelly gained the confidence of Raiders coaches by averaging five tackles a game as a starter at defensive end. He's had 13 career sacks, and the Raiders believe he can be a pass-rushing force at defensive tackle because of his quickness. First, though, Kelly has to get healthy. He's coming off a torn ACL that limited him to seven games last year. He had 30 tackles and a sack in those games. Kelly was going to be a highly coveted defender in free agency because he could play defensive tackle in a 4-3 or defensive end in a 3-4. He came to the Raiders in 2004 as an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi State. </div> </div> </div>
TMZ has confirmed Oakland Raiders superstar Tommy Kelly -- one of the NFL's highest paid defensive players -- was busted Sunday night in Oakland on suspicion of driving under the influence.
