Markquese Bell Earns Contract Extension With Dallas Cowboys
March 11, 2025
The undrafted former Florida A&M University (FAMU) football player inked a three-year agreement for more than $12 million
Markquese Bell, an undrafted former Florida A&M University (FAMU) football player, has just been given a contract extension to stay with the Dallas Cowboys.
The NFL team announced that Bell, a restricted free agent, signed a reported three-year agreement for more than $12 million. Bell did not have to shop his services as the team showed interest in not letting him get away, although he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury last season.
The former HBCU student went undrafted but was able to latch onto the Cowboys as a practice squad safety in 2023. He made the roster when the team moved him into the linebacker position. Bell was then moved back to the safety role in 2024. His versatility also allows him to be used on special teams.
According to HBCU Gameday, Bell joined the FAMU football squad after transferring from the University of Maryland in 2019. While playing for FAMU in 2021, Bell’s stats were 95 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and one interception over 12 games as a starter. His play earned him first-team all-conference honors. However, despite his accomplishments at the Florida school, no NFL teams drafted Bell in 2022. He was able to become a Cowboys player as a free agent.
Although he made the team in 2022, his play was limited. He only appeared in five games and recorded only one tackle for the season. But he made a bigger impact the next year while playing in every game. The team used him in the linebacker position, switching from his role as a safety. He started eight games for the Cowboys in his new role while playing in all 17 contests.
He made 94 tackles (60 of them solo tackles), four pass deflections, and two forced fumbles while helping the team win the NFC East title in 2023. The NFL honored his play by awarding him the HBCU Spotlight Player of the Year award for the year.
