Allen Park, Mich. - The Detroit Lions announced today that they have
traded CB Dré Bly and their 2007 sixth-round draft choice to Denver in
exchange for RB Tatum Bell, T George Foster and the Broncos' 2007
fifth-round draft choice.
Bly (5-9, 188) spent the past four seasons (2003-06) with the Lions
after signing with Detroit March 1, 2003. He has 33 career
interceptions (19 with Detroit) and led or tied for the team lead in
interceptions in each of his four seasons with the Lions. After his
first season in Detroit (2003), Bly became the Lions' first Pro Bowl
cornerback since CB Lem Barney (1977).
Bly came to Detroit in the prime of his career after his first full
season as a starter for the St. Louis Rams in 2002. While in St.
Louis, he played in seven playoff games and two Super Bowls, including
the Rams' Super Bowl XXXIV title games as a rookie (1999). He was
originally selected by the Rams in the second round (41st overall) of
the 1999 NFL Draft after a standout career at the University of North
Carolina.
Bell (5-11, 213) enters his fourth NFL season after Denver made him
its first selection in the second round (41st overall) of the 2004 NFL
Draft. Last season, he established a single season career-high with
1,025 rushing yards, including five 100-yard rushing performances,
while averaging 4.4 yards-per-carry.
In 2005, Bell rushed for 921 yards on just 173 carries and finished
with a NFL-best 5.3 yards-per-carry. He established a single-season
career high with eight rushing touchdowns and registered 18 receptions
for 104 yards. Bell played in 15 games with one start while sharing
the running back duties with Broncos' RB Mike Anderson.
As a rookie, Bell played in 14 games and led all 2004 AFC rookies
(fourth among NFL rookies) in rushing with 396 yards on 75 attempts
(5.3 avg.) and three touchdowns. He also had five receptions for 80
yards, including a career-high 58-yarder at Kansas City (12/19)
Bell was a three-year starter at Oklahoma State University and
finished with 3,409 career rushing yards (5.4 avg.) with 34 touchdowns
in 41 career games (29 starts). He also had 36 receptions for 258
yards and two touchdowns. He joined Terry Miller, Thurman Thomas and
David Thompson as the only players in school history to rush for more
than 1,000 yards in a season twice in a career. Bell was a consensus
first-team All-Big 12 selection as a senior in 2003, leading Oklahoma
State with a career-high 1,286 yards (6.0 avg.) on 213 carries with 16
touchdowns.
At DeSoto High School in DeSoto, Texas, Bell was one of the fastest
high school players in the nation (clocked at 10.26 in the 100-meter
dash and 4.34 in the 40-yard dash). He was a two-time all-district
selection at running back while First Down Recruiting, PrepStar and
the Dallas Morning News listed him as a Top-100 player in Texas.
Foster (6-5, 338) comes to Detroit for his fifth pro season after
spending his first four seasons with the Broncos who drafted him in
the first round (20th overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft. He was Denver's
starting right tackle for most of the past three seasons (2004-06),
playing in 49 games with 45 starts. In 2006, he helped RB Tatum Bell
reach the 1,000-yard plateau for the first time in his career.
At the beginning of Foster's first training camp in 2003, he suffered
a sprained right foot which slowed his development and he was
subsequently declared inactive for each of the first 15 regular season
games. He saw his first NFL action at left tackle in a reserve role in
the final week of the season at Green Bay (12/28) but was inactive for
Denver's AFC Wild Card Game at Indianapolis (1/4/04)
Foster established himself as the Broncos' starting right tackle
entering his second season in 2004 and has since played in 48
consecutive games with 45 starts. In his first season as a starter, he
contributed to Denver allowing a franchise-low 15 sacks which was the
third fewest in the NFL. In 2005, he helped the Broncos post the
second-most rushing yards (2,539) in franchise history and rank second
in the NFL (158.7 ypg.) while setting a team record for most rushing
first downs.
While at the University of Georgia, Foster was a two-year starter and
provided valuable leadership and depth to the offensive line with his
ability to play either tackle position. He attended Southeast High
School in Macon, Ga. and was named Class 4-A first-team all-state by
the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Georgia Sports Writers
Association.
