Dolphins’ Bell approaching career crossroads

By Hugo Guzman  |   Wednesday, May 23, 2007  |  Comments( 11 )

Miami Dolphins
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Last week, I expounded on the many question marks surrounding the current Miami Dolphins' secondary. One of the greatest enigmas in that beleaguered unit is promising third-year safety Yeremiah Bell, who finally usurped a starting spot for himself in the sixth game of the 2006 campaign. The Eastern Kentucky product is still far from proving that he is a legitimate NFL starter, but his penchant for fumble-forcing hits and well-timed blitzes makes him one of the most promising young defensive backs on the roster.

Tuesday, Bell finally signed a one-year tender offer with the Dolphins after it became apparent that no other team would be willing to part with a second-round pick in exchange for his services. The $1.3 million contract will ensure that Bell remains in Miami for at least one more season, but what will happen after that is anyone's guess.

Bell, for his part, would like to sign a long-term deal with the team that chose him in the sixth round of the 2003 draft. The Dolphins harbor similar feelings, but according to Bell's agent, pseudo-celebrity Drew Rosenhaus, the two sides are still far from coming to an agreement on a multiyear extension.

Bell is likely well aware of the fact that a strong showing in 2007 will go a long way toward securing that long-term deal he covets, and that realization could potentially translate into great things for the Dolphins' secondary this season.

Bell is coming off an impressive '06 outing in which he registered 70 tackles, 12 passes defensed, two sacks and three forced fumbles in 11 starts. The 6-foot, 200-pound strong safety was also credited with infusing energy, communication and leadership into a languishing secondary that had degenerated into a laughingstock through the first five games of the season.

And if nothing else, Bell proved that he knows how to properly put a licking on opposing ball carriers.

Now, is Bell going to single-handedly transform the secondary into a pillar of strength? Probably not. For starters, he needs to continue working on his tactical awareness because he is still prone to taking poor angles in certain situations. In addition, the Winchester, Ky., native is not much of an interception threat, reeling in zero picks in 2006 and just one over his entire three-year career.

But the bottom line is that despite being a relative newcomer to the pros, Bell is already 29 years old. That means if he ever wants to secure a substantial payday, it needs to occur relatively soon. Therefore, expect to see Bell play like his career is on the line in 2007. Because in a sense, it actually is.

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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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CommentsComments: 11  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
Jim		09:28 AM
05/23/2007
Bell and the other DBs have a good chance to establish themselves this year due ... mainly to the increased pressure from strong...
No.2
jcd		11:34 AM
05/23/2007
The fact that no other team wanted him speaks volumes. If a 2nd round pick was too steep, I sign and trade deal could have been...
No.3
Thumper54		11:55 AM
05/23/2007
Bell will improve this year with Melvyn Phillips influence and the fact that Saban is no longer there. I believe the secondary...
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