Forgotten Dallas Cowboys starter may just rise to a protagonist role on new-look defense
The Dallas Cowboys will have a new-look defense in 2026 under DC Christian Parker. That could really benefit this safety.
With a new defensive coordinator in town, big changes are coming to the Dallas Cowboys defense. And those could snowball into a former starter rising as a protagonist on defense for the first time since 2023.
According to at least one film expert, safety Markquese Bell could become a starter for Dallas in 2026 despite only starting three games over the last couple of years. And if it happens, it would be in a position he isn’t exactly familiarized with. Let’s break it down.
Markquese Bell a player to watch
In 2023, Bell—who is listed as a safety—started eight games at linebacker and played a major part in the Cowboys having a Top 5 defense under then defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.
It was a short stint starting for Bell, but it came in clutch for a Dallas defense dealing with multiple linebacker injuries. Part of what made Bell able to play linebacker was his size, as he’s big for safety standards at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds. That alone made him a viable tackler in the box while also capitalizing on his DB skills and being a quality coverage player underneath.
Those same skills could allow Bell to be in the running to start at nickel for the Cowboys, a position which involves a little bit of everything while always being close to the action. That would be a big deal considering Dallas new defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
Film expert Ted Nguyen from The Athletic recently wrote an article showcasing the rise of the nickel position in the league’s top defenses, the Eagles’ included. Parker, who was pass game coordinator for Philly the last couple of years, is likely to value the position a lot in Dallas. After all, the Eagles defense values it to the point of playing All-Pro talent Cooper DeJean inside often.
Nguyen added on a follow-up post that “Parker liked this article [. . .] Nickel is extremely important in (Parker’s) scheme. Markquese Bell could be a pivotal piece of the defense.”
Nickel spot open in Dallas
Though Bell checks the boxes of being a potential CB/LB hybrid at nickel, the front office may be better off looking for premium talent if it matters that much to Parker. With no established nickel in Dallas since the Cowboys lost Jourdan Lewis in free agency, they’re likely to look for options in and outside the building.
The reasons for the rise of the nickel position include the fact that offenses are creatively using personnel groupings to dictate what a defense does. By having a big-sized nickel however, defenses don’t have to sub in an undersized cornerback and force him to tackle nor field a big-sized linebacker likely to get burned in the passing game as offenses target the middle of the field. Instead, a high-end hybrid can do a little bit of both and allow the defense to play the way it wants to.
In Nguyen’s article, Eagles safety coach Joe Kasper argues nickel is an undervalued position around the NFL. Perhaps that leads to the Cowboys being able to find a good nickel in free agency for a reasonable price or even draft one at No. 12 overall. Ohio State’s Caleb Downs is expected to be the next big thing in the emerging role around the league.
But if Dallas has to settle for an in-house candidate, Bell could fit the bill.
Dallas Cowboys News
DeMarcus Lawrence’s words to the Cowboys sting more than ever, but there’s an obvious lesson to be learned from his Seahawks
The former Dallas Cowboys defensive end is Super Bowl-bound after the Seattle Seahawks’ win on Sunday.
