NFL: Lions Trade CB Bly & Draft Pick to Denver for RB Bell, OL Foster & Draft Pick

In 2005, Bell rushed for 921 yards on just 173 carries and finished with a NFL-best 5.3 yards-per-carry.

Photo courtesy: detroitlions.com

ALLEN PARK, Mich. - The Detroit Lions announced Friday 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 1st, 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.

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