Cowboys To Sign Byron Bell

Byron Bell‘s visit to Dallas today led to the veteran tackle signing a one-year deal with the Cowboys, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Bell has not played since the 2015 season but will now step into a possible role on arguably the league’s best offensive line.

Doug Free‘s retirement opened a spot at right tackle, and Bell will assuredly factor into the competition for that vacancy. Free had manned the Cowboys’ right tackle spot for most of this decade and was a starter for Dallas dating back to the 2009 season. The Cowboys will go about replacing two starting linemen from last season, and Bell’s signing gives an indication of how they plan to do that.

La’el Collins now looks likelier to slide back to the left guard position he occupied prior to a foot injury derailing his 2016 season. Ronald Leary‘s defection to Denver opens up that spot again. Dallas brass said earlier this offseason Collins could be a right tackle option. Bell has spent most of his six-year career at tackle, serving as the Panthers’ right-edge protector for three seasons before moving to the left side in 2014. He played both tackle and guard for the Titans in 2015, but with Collins having only seen time at guard, Bell’s 2017 spot looks like it will be right tackle.

Prior to visiting the Cowboys, the 28-year-old Bell met with both the 49ers and Packers. He missed all of the 2016 season due to a foot injury sustained during OTAs last year. He ranked as PFR’s No. 7 tackle option left on the market. Bell stands to compete with 2015 third-rounder Chaz Green for the starting right tackle gig.

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