This year's Dallas Cowboys training camp is shaping up to be the team's most intriguing summer in recent memory. From Christian Parker installing a new defense to the debuts of first-round picks Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence to several fascinating roster battles, we highly encourage being glued to every practice.
Unlike recent offseasons, Dallas had more incomings than outgoings. However, they endured a notable loss over the weekend when longtime special teams ace C.J. Goodwin announced his retirement after a 10-year career.
Goodwin was one of the longest-tenured Cowboys and the heartbeat of the special teams unit. Replacing him won't be easy, but we keep coming back to Markquese Bell, who's quietly become discarded in a safety room that's been overhauled.
Markquese Bell could replace C.J. Goodwin as the Cowboys' special teams ace
Despite being a rotational player for most of his career, the Cowboys signed Bell, then a restricted free agent, to a three-year, $9 million contract last offseason. While there was a clearer path to playing time at safety then than there is now, Bell had logged just 34 defensive snaps under Mike Zimmer the previous season before landing the deal.
However, he was a core special-teamer under John "Bones" Fassel, logging a then-career-high 168 snaps. Even after Dallas surprisingly moved on from Fassel, Bell's importance only grew, as he played 304 special teams snaps across 17 games last season.
Bell did a little bit of everything. Here's a breakdown of his 2025 snaps, via Pro Football Focus' advanced stats.
Role | Number of snaps |
|---|---|
Kickoff return | 81 |
Kickoff coverage | 77 |
Punt return | 40 |
Punt coverage | 39 |
Field goal block | 67 |
That is a massive workload, making it clear the coaching staff trusts Bells in every facet of special teams.
The 27-year-old thrived in the expanded role, earning a respectable 68.4 special teams grade that ranked first among the six Cowboys who logged at least 200 special teams snaps, including Goodwin, per PFF. That came after he posted an outstanding 85.9 grade in 2024.
Special teams could be Markquese Bell's only path to making Cowboys' roster
Cowboys fans may remember Bell becoming a full-time starting linebacker in 2023 under Dan Quinn after replacing the injured Leighton Vander Esch. However, he moved back to safety the following season under Mike Zimmer, and that's where he appears to be settling in under Christian Parker, though training camp will provide a clearer picture.
If Parker prefers Bell at safety, it'd be an understatement to say he faces long odds to make the team.
The Cowboys did not re-sign Donovan Wilson, but Caleb Downs is going to see plenty of reps at safety in addition to the nickel. Furthermore, Dallas gave veteran Jalen Thompson its largest (external) free agent contract in years and inked P.J. Locke, a vet with 26 career starts, to a one-year deal.
All three newcomers slot ahead of Bell on the depth chart, while Malik Hooker remains entrenched as a key member of the secondary, even if his workload decreases in his age-30 season.
There may not be a role in Parker's defense for Bell, making it imperative that he shows up to camp with a chip on his shoulder to fill Goodwin's shoes on special teams. He may be discarded on defense, but he has a clear path to relevance as Dallas' new special teams leader.
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