INGLEWOOD, Calif. — One yr in the past, Markquese Bell was being transformed to linebacker by Dan Quinn for a Dallas Cowboys’ protection that was in determined want of depth on the place within the wake of then rookie DeMarvion Overshown struggling a torn ACL. Now moved again to security by Mike Zimmer, Bell is taking part in like his hair is on hearth and the closest extinguisher is empty.
Within the preseason opener in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams, Bell not solely delivered a game-high 9 mixed tackles, but in addition an interception on Stetson Bennett whereas narrowly lacking one other two takeaways within the air.
It appears he is primed for what may very well be a breakout season in 2024.
“I simply gotta give credit score to my teammates as a result of they made my job rather a lot simpler,” he mentioned following the matchup in opposition to the Rams. “Being on the market with elite athletes and nice teammates, it permits me to fly round like I love to do.”
Zimmer’s protection, in all, had 4 interceptions on the day and, immediately, any discuss of the potentiality of the often takeaway-proficient unit seeing a doable downturn in that class going ahead started struggling a swift dying on Sunday.
Together with Bell, interceptions have been had by Jason Johnson, Brock Mogensen and fellow defensive again Eric Scott.
It would not appear to be they’ve misplaced a step in terms of giving their offense additional possessions.
“That is all we preach,” mentioned Bell. “We’re a protection that will get the ball. If we do not take the ball away, we really feel like we did not attain our objective. Our objective [today] was three, and we bought previous our objective.
The plan by Zimmer for Bell is permitting him to play free and it is off to a scorching begin, and the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator has everybody full bought-in for a wide range of causes together with, per Overshown, the actual fact Zimmer was calling performs in opposition to the Rams with out his name sheet.
He’d usually name the play primarily based upon what he noticed from the Rams’ offense in actual time.
“It is the kind of protection that he brings and the kind of tradition that he brings to the group,” mentioned Bell of his new coordinator. “He has a fantastic scheme and we like it. We like it. It is gonna work, it is gonna work.
“We’re placing it in and it is contemporary, and now we have our edits about it however whenever you see it in actual life, it really works.”
A product of FAMU, Bell continues to show their is expertise outdoors of the bigger collegiate packages within the nation and he is serving to to show eyes towards HBCUs throughout the nation, one play at a time.
“I am simply glad that I can put a highlight on HBCU’s as a result of there’s quite a lot of guys which are down there that deserve a chance that do not actually get it,” he mentioned. “I simply hoping I can convey the sunshine to these HBCUs.”
There might be little to little doubt that he is doing precisely that, and that Zimmer’s protection will assist to ensure he continues to.