Congratulations to Detroit’s Cory Redding

It seems the precedent set by the signing of Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney is sending some immediate ripples around the league.

Today, the Detroit Lions decided to set the bar high, once again. This time by signing Cory Redding to a 7 year, $50 million contract that effectively makes him the highest paid defensive tackle in the NFL.

The sides were at a bit of an impass with time running out today. If no contract was signed by 4:00 PM, the team would unable to sign Redding, the team’s franchise player, to a long-term contract. Instead, he would be forced to play out a one year contract before (possibly) being signed after the 2007 season.

Was it worth it? Sure. The Lions need to build up a strong defense in order to take a shot at the NFC North. Though their offense packed plenty of sizzle last season, the defense more or less fizzled.

Poor rhyming schemes aside, however, Redding appears to be a sound investment. At 6′4, 295 pounds, he is built as a pass rusher. In fact, last season he racked up 8 sacks, enough to lead the team and rank 18th in the league among all linemen. Assuming he can continue to hone his run-stuffing skills, he and Shaun Rogers can live up to the expectations of Rod Marinelli and blend to form one of the league’s most dominant pairs in the NFL.