ESPN: Bell re-signs with Lions

[Sonny Koufax]

Per profootballtalk.com
POSTED 12:43 p.m. EDT, March 10, 2008

TATUM BELL STAYS WITH LIONS by Michael David Smith

Tatum Bell was unhappy in Detroit last year, but he's returning for another season.

Nicholas J. Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press reports that Bell, a free agent running back, has agreed to a one-year, $1.6 million contract to stay with the Lions for the 2008 season.

Bell spent the final 11 games of the 2007 season watching the Lions from the sidelines, and he said publicly during the season that he was hoping to get traded. But when Jim Colletto replaced Mike Martz as the Lions' offensive coordinator, and when free agent running back T.J. Duckett left to sign with the Seahawks, coach Rod Marinelli said Bell's chances of returning had improved.

"Our offensive staff sat down and said, 'He fits what we're trying to do,'" Marinelli said. "It's not as much coming out of the backfield for him and maybe as many different runs, just a few basic runs. I think he's got a chance to fit some of that."

Bell ran 44 times for 182 yards in 2007. In his best NFL season, 206, he carried 233 times for 1,025 yards for the Denver Broncos.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Good. We can do better in the draft IMO.

 

[Hostile]

Yet another bullet dodged.

 

[Stash]

$1.6 million?

Yeah, good luck with that!

 

[CrazyCowboy]

GOOD for the kittens......they need assistance.

 

[TheCount]

I don't know why anyone would need we needed Tatum Bell of all people, especially with this draft class.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

I am glad Bell won't be here. I'm not real high on him anyway. Although, again, as a cheap backup I wouldn't have been angry. But this gives me plenty of faith to believe we'll get us a good pick in the draft from this loaded class.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

I saw it on espn bottomline, but saw that it said Lions not Cowboys, my bad

 

[Stash]

I guess this qualifies as a rumor cause I saw it on the espn bottom line, but don't have a link.

What does it mean?
-hopefully we can stop hearing how dallas is in negotiations with Miami to aquire the #1 pick
-We get in essence the same player as Julius Jones, but atleast potential that he can perform better
-We can sit back and take the BPA, cause worst case scenario there won't be many CBs who can start over Newman/Henry, WRs who can start over TO/Crayton and RBs who can start over Barber/Bell

I think you saw Detroit signs....

 

[JPM]

Did you mean Detroit ?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3286104

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Doesn't mean much, if we did it.

JAG. At this point in his career, Tatum Bell is barely hanging on in the league.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

I think you saw Detroit signs....

yeah, it just flashed again. And now it's on the espn site, a second ago they had nothing

 

[FCBarca]

Kill the thread

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I think you saw Detroit signs....

Thank goodness.

 

[Doctor32]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3286104

Running back Bell signs one-year deal with Lions, will compete for starting job

By John Clayton
ESPN.com






Updated: March 10, 2008, 1:49 PM ET




After losing a bidding war for halfback Julius Jones, the Detroit Lions went back to their own roster and re-signed Tatum Bell.

Bell, 26, agreed to a one-year, $1.6 million deal to stay with the Lions. He came to the Lions last season from the Broncos in a trade that included tackle George Foster. Foster agreed to a one-year, $1.1 million deal over the weekend.
With Kevin Jones coming off a torn ACL, Bell will be given the chance to start this season. He started four games for the Lions in 2007 and had 182 yards on 44 carries last year.
In his final season with the Broncos in 2006, Bell had 1,025 yards and a 4.4-yard average. On any given play, Bell has the ability to break a long run because he has great speed and elusiveness.
If Bell has a great season, he is hoping to hit a big payday in 2009.
Senior writer John Clayton covers the NFL for ESPN.com.

 

[Redball Express]

..we are looking at RB with one of our #1's..

..unless we trade back to find one later..

..otherwise one of these guys would have been in for at least a visit.

So with no foreseeable WR's or RBs becoming FA's that we know of, Dallas is keeping it's checkbook snapped closed.

Hmmm..

:starspinReDBaLL ExPreSS:starspin