I don't like it. He's a solid player and a great leader.

 

Not so much worried about his play. More worried about his leadership. That was the biggest hole for the Jets.

 

Rex will get the most out of what he has left.

 

More big passing plays for us. Also I highly doubt he takes to a leadership role on their team the way he did here.

 

I like Bell as a leader as an in the box safety. I understand why that isn't a fit for what Miami wants under Coyle. I could see him being effective for the Jets though.

Are we going to get a bunch of ridiculous posts about how any Dolphin player who signs with the Jets after being cut by Miami is a traitor now?

 

I'm sure someone will feel that way. Everyone has an opinion. So what?

 

Only if Yeremiah Bell hopes to be considered a franchise icon and have his jersey retired someday.

 

No but I still think JT was. His career started in the time when loyalty still had SOME meaning in the NFL and there was legitimate disdain for rivals. Bell plays in the age where loyalty means squat.

 

I don't like that he's going to the Jets, simply because I feel they just got a little bit better. He's a good player. However, I get the sense that Bell's situation may be similar to the Algae Crumpler situation a couple of years ago. I ran into an agent that told me Crumpler was released by Atlanta because he was bone-on-bone in his knees, and he had to shoot up with meds just to step on the field on Sundays. The Titans wound up singing him, and he was somewhat effective at times, but his best days were clearly behind him. Not to mention the damage he probably did to his body by stretching out his career for a couple of mediocre seasons.

I'm just speculating, but, I wouldn't want to see Bell do that to himself. I have a lot of respect for the guy. Even is he is a s***t-sucking Jet now.

 

That sounds like a very convenient double standard. Somebody drafted in 1997 can't sign with a rival after getting dumped by Miami, but somebody drafted in 2003 can. The difference is just two years in terms of when each player was cut and signed with the Jets. Reality is that if somebody doesn't like a player they will bash him regardless of the facts.

 

While he was never a great safety, Bell was the best safety the Dolphins have had for the last several years. He provided leadership in the secondary and I just don't see any other player on that unit which will be able to step in and provide the mature leadership Bell seemed to inspire.

The secondary has been a major problem for the defense, even with Bell as a member of this unit. I just don't see anything which has been done in the off season to upgrade this unit, including the signing of Marshall.
I expect the secondary to once again be a major concern this coming season and without Bell, and especially Nolan as the teams DC, it would not surprise me in the least to see the overall defense takes a giant step backwards in 2012.

 

Marshall is better than Bell

 

Marshall is not a true safety, but is more a CB. He may be a better CB than Bell would have been if Bell played CB, but he has yet to show that he can be an effective strong safety in the NFL. I also have to question his leadership skills in the secondary, which was one the reasons Bell was so valuable to the defense.

I never said Bell was a great player because I think he was only adequate at best. I just don't think Marshall will prove to be a major upgrade for this unit and I expect that the secondary will continue to be a problem area for the Dolphins during this coming season. As I stated earlier, I think Nolan is a major loss as the teams DC and I will be quite surprised if the defense turns out to be as effective as it has been for most of the past two seasons.

 

He is a better CB than Bell is as a safty. Marshall showed a lot of leadership in Arizona. In fact, I have always found Bell's leadership skills over rated. He was a "leader" however he was more of the best vetran in the room type of leader.

You don't think Marshall is a big upgrade because you do not like Ireland. Ever aspect of his play shows that he is a big upgrade, especially since the NFL is turning into more of a nickel type defense where the 3rd CB plays 65% of the plays.

Plus with Nolan that didn't stop the defense from starting out really poorly last season.

I am a huge fan of Bell's. In fact, I am surprised by all this Bell love since he has left because I have felt the only member of the Bell fan club.

Miami's secondary has been a weakness for the last 3 years. One of the reason was Bell's poor coverage skills and his tendancy to improvise. I do not see his departure as a big problem. Especially at his current age.

 

Do you know how much the NFL changed between those years? I also never said he couldn't sign with a rival, he obviously did. I have nothing against JT personally, I just think he doesn't deserve anything from this franchise in the future.

The difference is also that JT is/was considered an all time great Dolphin. Bell is not.

 

I would say you're overstating how much change there was from 2010 to 2012, which would be the relevant years. And I would say that how well JT played for us should give him more of a pass from fans, not less. I think JT is one of those players that for some reason some fans never embraced as much as others and as a result got criticized for things that other players did without criticism. Bell signs with same rival after being dumped by Miami and he's not a traitor but JT was. Driver goes on dancing with stars and GB fans are happy while Miami fans rip JT. I see it as a double standard where JT too often gets criticized when he does nothing wrong.

 

I won't argue that I am not a big fan of Ireland. Of course I have also been stating for quite a while that I believe it is going to take the Dolphins two or three more years to become a legitimate playoff contender. I happen to think there are so many holes on the team right now that they could not possibly all be filled in one or two off seasons.

Marshall may be a better CB than Bell was a safety, but his signing doesn't solve the fact that the Dolphins still have no reliable safeties on their roster at this time. At no time since he was released have I stated that the Dolphins made a mistake in releasing Bell. I certainly saw by his play on the field that he was not a great safety. He was though, a leader on the team and the Dolphins appear to have few of those on the entire roster.

If the Dolphins had released Bell and signed a quality safety in free agency or drafted a top tier safety prospect, I could see the logic of cutting Bell. I just don't see that they have done anything to upgrade this safeties on this team and therefore I think losing Bell and not replacing him with a valid safety prospect will only lead this unit to remain a major weakness on this team.

Perhaps this coaching staff can bring someone out of the safeties on the Dolphins which the previous coaching staff could not. We shall see, but as of right now, I just don't see what the upgrades are on the defensive side of the ball and especially at the safety position which will improve the overall play of the defense in 2012.

 

Don't like him going there but don't have any hard feelings about him doing it. We cut him ... so if anyone wants to hold a grudge then hold it against the one who cut him. He has a right to find a new job where ever he feels is the best fit for himself.

 

Throw to his side all day.

 

Damn this really sucks. Yeremiah is one of my alltime favorite Dolphins. Just a great story of how he got to the NFL and he is the definition of a hard-worker, team player, and a leader. He is pure class and wish him nothing but the best, even with NYJ.

 

as of right now I do not see anything that could make it look any worse.

 

I always thught he was overrated by this fanbase.

 

I wish our vets would sign outside the division so I could still root for them! Much respect to you Mr. Bell, now I hope we tear you apart :)

 

Don't forget how Jt openly showed-off, talked about and flaunted his hatred of the Jets, jets fans and all things Jets during his tenure as a Dolphin. That's what made him seem like a hypocrite when he signed with them. Sure, it made business sense, and as a player wanting to play (and earn a living) he had every right to do so. But, beware, if you make a spectacle over avowing your conviction to being loyal to your team and hating the enemy, you can;t spin it as 'just biz' when you cross to the other side.

Yeremiah didn't emphasize his dislike, as far as I remember, of the Jets more so than of any other opponent. JT was ripping down little kids Jets' banners at Dolphins stadium and tearing those up in front of angry parents. lol. He was taunting Jets fans every time he went up there. Then he became a Jet.

That's the difference.

 

Agree that his best days are behind him. But, only time will tell if it comes back to bite us.

 

This. Hope the Jets go winless, but he makes th Probowl.

 

It is no big deal. The only people crying about us not resigning him will be his short number of fans and his family and friends.

 

He has about as much a chance of making All Pro as you have of making an NFL roster. Bell was nothing to write home about. Are we supposed to keep these guys until they need wheel chairs ?

 

Sucks

 

Hes gone. And to the Jets which makes me think...MOVE ON! Cant be getting sentimental with Dolphin players going to the snot green. Same as they cant be sentimental going to the enemy. Its life. They dont care so why should we? Hope he gets burned. As Sinatra once said..Thats Life.

 

I didn't say he shouldnt have gone to the Jets, I said that by doing so I don't care to see him involved with our franchise in any way from here on out. Big difference. Like BPK said it is also the way he went about it.

 

He's basically going to be insurance for LAron Landry.....

 

Traitor.

 

Sorry once he goes green I do not care to cheer him on one bit. Red black purple orange maybe but a Jet ? Not from me.

 

I despise the Jets, but I wish Yeremiah well and good luck (except against Miami).