Dolphins Bringing Back Bell

The outside linebacker was a training camp sensation last year before playing all 17 games

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (17) is tackled by Miami Dolphins linebacker Quinton Bell (56) in the second half at SoFi Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins' decision not to tender restricted free agent Quinton Bell last week was financially motivated, and the evidence came Tuesday when the team brought him back.

A day before Bell was going to become an unrestricted free agent, the Dolphins signed Bell to a new one-year contract worth $1.5 million, per multiple reports. The lowest tender offer for a restricted free agent was $3.2 million — and the Dolphins made that move with one of their three RFAs, cornerback Kader Kohou.

The Dolphins' move with Bell saved them $1.7 million and at least that much against the salary cap.

Afte spending the second half of the 2023 season on the Dolphins practice squad, Bell earned a spot on the 53-man roster last year after he shined in training camp. He went on to play 17 games with three starts, and finished with 27 tackles and his first career sack. That sack was against Matthew Stafford in the Dolphins' 23-15 victory against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in the Monday night game in November.

This move not to tender Bell wasn't a surprise. We even predicted it last week when we wrote about the pending RFAs.

"While defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver often praised Bell last season, the Dolphins have a lot of options at the edge defender spot, so there's no reason to commit any kind of significant amount of money and cap space for Bell," is what we wrote. "His salary for 2024 was $985,000 and the best guess is the Dolphins don't make a qualifying tender. If they do, it would be for ROFR only."

Bell was set to become the third Dolphins outside linebacker on the free agent market next week, along with veterans Emmanuel Ogbah and Tyus Bowser.

The Dolphins retained Cameron Goode when they tendered him as an exclusive-rights free agent this week.

DOLPHINS FREE AGENT SCORECARD
as of 12 p.m. Tuesday

Agreed to terms
QB Zach Wilson (Denver)
G James Daniels (Pittsburgh)
OL Larry Borom (Chicago)
S Ifeatu Melifonwu (Detroit)

Re-signed
DT Matt Dickerson
S Elijah Campbell
OLB Quinton Bell

Lost to another team
WR Braxton Berrios (Houston)
G Robert Jones (Dallas)
S Jevon Holland (N.Y. Giants)