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What are the Jets getting in veteran safety Yeremiah Bell? Let’s take a look.
Well, for one thing, they are getting a 34-year-old safety.
On paper that might not seem like a good thing, but word out of Miami is he can still play.
And while he is 34, he entered the NFL at 25, so hasn’t been in the league as long as the typical player his age.
After graduating from high school in Kentucky, he worked in steel mill for two years, before walking on at Eastern Kentucky.
So what does he bring to the table?
First-off, he’s LaRon Landry insurance.
On March 19, the Jets signed Landry to a one-year, $4 million contract.
But as you all know, this signing constituted a major rolling of the dice.
Landry has been dealing with an Achilles problem the last couple of years.
One of the reasons Washington moved on from the former first round pick is a disagreement on how to deal with the Achilles problem.
The Redskins want him to have surgery. He is avoiding it like the plague. Achilles surgery and the rehab that follows can be brutal, and there are no guarantees that you will ever be the same.
John DeGiovanni did a feature in a recent issue of Jets Confidential Magazine about the alternative medical treatments Landry has been using for his Achilles issues, including stem cells therapy and platelet-rich plasma treatments.
Landry is a impressive talent, but who knows how this is going to work out.
If Landry has a setback, Bell is a heck of an insurance policy, and I’m not staying Bell won’t have a role if LaRon stays healthy.
Bell came highly-recommended from Jets offensive coordinator Tony Sparano, who coached him the last four years in Miami.
So what does Bell bring to the table?
I reached out to a pair of guys who know the Miami Dolphins well.
“He is a dynamic in the box safety,” said Observer #1. “He is limited as a coverage safety. If isolated on a tight end he’ll struggle. He is limited in zone coverage, and sometimes reacts a half a second too slow. He knows his assignment and can get the job done. He is great leader; great person.”
“He’s still got something left,” said Observer #2. “Bell is a good tackler in the secondary (although he had issues with personal fouls last season) and also can blitz when called upon, so he can be effective if used properly. The big issue with him, and this has always been the case, is he’s not great in coverage and doesn’t make many plays on the ball.”
The bottom line is – Bell is the kind of guy you want on your football team.
He’s a warrior and leader, who will be a boon to the Jets’ locker room.
With the additions of Landry, Bell, Josh Bush and Antonio Allen, along with incumbent Eric Smith, the Jets should be able to make it work at safety.
Also in the mix are Tracy Wilson and DeAngelo Smith.
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