Bell's production in 2024 is unlikely to match the career-high 94 tackles he collected over 17 regular-season games last season.
Undrafted in 2022 out of Florida A&M, Bell broke out in 2023 as one of defensive coordinator Dan Quinn's favorites, filling a hybrid linebacker-safety role that put him in position for a high tackle total despite the fact that he was on the field for only 612 defensive snaps. Quinn left in the offseason to take the head coaching job in Washington, however, and new DC Mike Zimmer's scheme doesn't have the same history of deploying safeties in a flexible manner. The Cowboys also bolstered their linebacking corps over the winter with free-agent signing Eric Kendricks and 2024 third-round pick Marist Liufau, leaving less need for Bell to reinforce their ranks. If he's stuck in a rotational role as a pure safety behind Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker, Bell's IDP numbers will have nowhere to go but down.