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Free agent safety Yeremiah Bell is a good football, and if the Jets are interested, it would make sense. The guy can play, and he can help the Jets. Let’s take a look at what Yeremiah Bell brings to the table, and if he is good fit for the Jets . . .
Agent Drew Rosenhaus said the Jets are interested in safety Yeremiah Bell.
Now you have to take this with a grain of salt for two reasons.
Rosenhaus isn’t always truthful, and tends to embellish.
Secondly, as we all know, Jets GM Mike “TOES” Tannenbaum looks into everything.
“TOES,” as in Turn Over Every Stone.
But with that being said, if the price is right, Bell wouldn’t be a bad signing.
The safety-hungry Jets, signed one safety in free agency, LaRon Landry, who is talented, but has been injury-prone the last few years.
Yeremiah Bells is a terrific football player.
Former Dolphins and Jets linebacker Jason Taylor put it best a few years ago, when he said about Bell, “”The guy just makes plays, no matter if it’s special teams, defense or whatever. He always makes plays.”
Bell made the Pro Bowl in 2009.
While he is 34, keep a couple of things in mind about his age.
First of all, he entered the league at 25. Out of high school in Kentucky, he went to work in a Steel Mill for two years, before enrolling at Eastern Kentucky.
And then, after being picked in the sixth round by the Dolphins in the 2003 draft, he spent his rookie year on injured reserve.
So we aren’t talking about a player who has been taking a pounding in the NFL since he was 22. He didn’t really get rolling, in terms of playing time, until he was 26.
Also, he will get a big plug at One Jets Drive from former Miami Dolphins coach Tony Sparano, now the Jets offensive coordinator, who loved the guy, during their time in Miami together.
And he certainly knows the AFC East well, which would be helpful when facing quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Ryan Fitzpatrick.
We asked a source close to the Dolphins for his take on Bell.
“He’s still got something left,” said the source. “Bell is a good tackler in the secondary and also can blitz when called upon, so he can be effective if used properly.”
What about his coverage skills?
“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 source said.
Man, it’s hard to find safeties that are top-shelf cover guys these days. They seem to be rare.
If I were the Jets, I would sign him. As Taylor said, he has a knack for making plays.
And he’s a leader, and we all know the Jets need more of those.
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