Ever since the Dallas Cowboys signed Markquese Bell as an UDFA, he’s been a solid addition to the defense. But according to Bell, this isn’t his best. “I wouldn’t say I’ve peaked yet, so I’m hoping to keep growing.” 

Two weeks after he made this claim at Oxnard, head coach Brian Schottenehiemer has made his decision on Bell’s spot on the roster. And there’s an important spot that he can fill on the team. 

Talking to reporters, Schottenheimer said, “I’ll speak to this young man, Markquese Bell. He’s one of our most trusted leaders on the special teams. He’s a really good football player. He’s a really good defensive player. I think he’s a great special teams player. And there’s guys like that; they play like eight, nine, 10, 11 years sometimes because they have a trait that is needed.” 

Now, the Cowboys have seven safeties on the depth chart right now. But with the August 30th roster cuts looming, there could be a major shuffle on the roster under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker. 

The case for Bell to make the team becomes stronger given that strong safety Zion Childress has been dealing with a hamstring injury, and free safety Julius Wood is navigating the concussion protocol after exiting the Week 2 preseason game. But Bell has an ace up his sleeve. 

Last season, Bell faced a similar problem, getting just 34 defensive snaps in nine games. However, he remained an active part of the special teams. He emerged as a leader. And the Cowboys need a standout performer on special teams, especially after C.J. Goodwin’s abrupt retirement. 

Bell also has the potential to play in multiple spots. Back in 2023, when the Dallas Cowboys were shorthanded at linebacker, Bell moved into Dan Quinn’s defense as a hybrid linebacker. In fact, he played as a linebacker in multiple other formations, finishing second in tackles behind Damone Clark, while playing all 17 games and starting eight.

And if that’s not enough to convince you, then take a look at the preseason games. 

When Dallas visited the Seattle Seahawks for their preseason opener earlier this month, Bell took about 59% of the defensive snaps. He was still healthy when they visited the Arizona Cardinals for their second preseason victory, but Bell was notably left out of the action. Was this a sign that he has already made the final-53? Zach Wolchuk of 105.3 The Fan certainly seemed to think so.

“Interesting note Markquese Bell is not playing tonight,” Wolchuk wrote on X. “Seems like he is safe. Cowboys will have some tough decisions to make in that safety room.”

What’s more, teams rarely play their starters in the preseason to avoid injuries ahead of their regular season. Add Bell’s contract – he carries a $2.83M cap hit this year, and a $3.6M cap hit in 2027 – could further work in his favor to solidify his roster spot. 

For all intents and purposes, it looks like the Star has aligned itself with Bell. The one downside, though, would be his arrest back in April.

Markquese Bell was arrested on 10th April by Prosper police for possession of a controlled substance, per Colin County Jail records. Officials had smelled the substance after Bell was pulled over that day, and they discovered less than 2 ounces of mar*j***a and a THC electronic cigarette, which led to his arrest. He was reportedly released the very next day on bail.

Now, Bell could still face some disciplinary action from the league, which conducts its own investigation into violations of its personal conduct policy. No such announcement has been made yet, but the league could possibly fine – or worse, suspend – him before the regular season kicks off.

For now, because the Cowboys decided to sit him and because Brian Schottenheimer only had nice things to say about him, it looks like Bell’s job with the Cowboys is safe. Dallas hosts the New Orleans Saints for their final preseason game before the high-stakes football begins. It will be interesting to see whether the Cowboys decide to protect him for this game as well.