Raiders Give Kelly a Mega-Sized Seven-Year Deal

Posted by Matt Loede on February 28th, 2008 filed in News

The Raiders Thursday made Tommy Kelly the highest paid DT in the history of the game.  The team signed him to the largest contract ever given to a defensive tackle, as moving from DE to DT this season he signed earlier today a deal for seven-years, at $50.5 million.  The deal has $18.125 million in guarantees. In the first three years of the deal, he will make $25.125 million.  Last season Kelly was hurt, and played in just 7 games, putting up 30 tackles and 1 sack.  The season before he played in all 16 games, with 68 tackles and 3.5 sacks.  He is expected to have a bigger impact moving from end to tackle.  The undrated 27-year-old has been with the Raiders since the 2004 season, and in 49 games has 166 tackles with 13 sacks.