The Cardinals will bring in veteran defensive lineman Tommy Kelly for a visit tonight and/or tomorrow, according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic (via Twitter). Kelly was released by the Patriots yesterday.
Kelly, 33, joined the Patriots on a two-year deal prior to last season after spending the prior nine years in Oakland. He tore his ACL in Week 8, and spent the remainder of the season on IR. In 134 career games (122 starts), Kelly has racked 301 tackles and 37 sacks. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) has graded Kelly as relatively average over the past few years, noting that he is much better pash-rusher than run-defender.
At 6″6″, 300 pounds, and capable of playing both end and tackle, Kelly should add some versatility to a Cardinals 3-4 scheme that recently lost Darnell Dockett for the year. After Brett Keisel turned down Arizona’s offer, the Cardinals ended up signing fellow veteran lineman Isaac Sopoaga to a deal. Pairing Kelly with Sopoaga would, at least in part, help alleviate the loss of Dockett.