FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots announced that they have re-signed restricted free agent cornerback Ben Kelly. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Kelly, 24, appeared in seven games for the Patriots in 2002 and was credited with four defensive tackles and one special teams stop. He was placed on injured reserve on Nov. 14 due to an ankle injury. The 5-foot-9-inch, 185-pound corner was originally drafted in the third round of the 2000 NFL draft (84th overall) by the Miami Dolphins. The Patriots claimed him off waivers from the Dolphins on Nov. 2, 2001 and he returned seven kickoffs for 123 yards in two games with the Patriots that season.
Kelly was a two-year starter at Colorado and was credited with 132 tackles, 11 interceptions and 34 passes defensed during his career. He also averaged 10.1 yards as a punt returner and 28.1 yards as a kick returner, establishing school records in each category. As a senior, he earned first-team all-conference honors as a cornerback and kick returner.
