The Phinsider
The 28-year-old pass-rusher will have the chance to test free agency when the new league year officially opens on Wednesday.
Heading into the 2025 NFL offseason, the Miami Dolphins had decisions to make on three restricted free agents: cornerback Kader Kohou, wide receiver Anthony Schwartz, and outside linebacker Quinton Bell. Decisions on Kohou and Schwartz are still pending, but today we received more clarity on Bell’s NFL future.
According to ESPN’s National NFL Insider Adam Schefter, the Dolphins will not place a tender on restricted free agent, Quinton Bell. The news comes after the team re-structured Bradley Chubb’s contract and brought back Cameron Goode.
Bell, 28, joined the Dolphins practice squad on October 17th, 2023. He signed a reserve/future contract with the team in January 2024. After an impressive summer, many thought Bell may have a more significant role in 2024 but he’d go on to play just 24% (257) of Miami’s defensive snaps, finishing the year with 27 total tackles, three tackles for loss, three QB hits, a pass breakup, and a sack.
He appeared in every game for the Dolphins, mainly as a special teams contributor, but did start three games in 2024. Now, he will have the chance to test free agency, which may or may not lead him back to Miami once things are all said and done.
For those wondering, the tender to keep Bell would have cost the Dolphins $3.3 million this season. That’s more than his value, especially when he was primarily a special teams contributor a season ago.
As for the Dolphins, they will head into the new league year with the following outside linebackers, including Bradley Chubb, who reworked his contract a few days ago, Jaelan Phillips, Cameron Goode, Chop Robinson, Mohamed Kamara, to name a few.
What are your thoughts on the Dolphins' decision to not tender restricted free agent outside linebacker Quinton Bell? Do you think Miami is set at EDGE or could that be a position they target in free agency and the draft? How excited are you to see Chubb-Phillips-Robinson together next season? Let us know in the comments section below!
