Dalton Bell has sat on the practice squad, held the clipboard on the sidelines and bounced around from team to team during his professional football career.
However, the 27-year-old pivot looks to have finally found something that has eluded him his entire professional career, the starting job.
After his strong play in the Toronto Argonauts’ two preseason games – in which he was 18/26 for 341 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions – Bell should have secured the starting job. His biggest competition appears to be Cleo Lemon, who really impressed head coach Jim Barker during training camp. So much so, that Barker compared Lemon to Henry Burris.
Dalton Bell is poised to become a starting quarterback for the first time in his professional career.
What didn’t impress Barker so much was Lemon’s play in preseason. He went 10/26 for 99 yards and one interception. Ken Dorsey also had a decent showing in Toronto’s first preseason game, but didn’t see playing time in the second game.
Before this season, it seemed improbable that Bell would ever be a professional starting quarterback.
In college, Bell was a star with West Texas State A&M. He threw for 7,841 yards and 63 touchdown during his college career, guiding the Buffalo to back-to-back Lone Star Conference championships and a 20-4 record in his two seasons as a starter.
After college, Bell tried his luck with the NFL, but came no where close to landing a starting job. He signed with the Green Bay Packers in 2007 and was quickly released. The next year, he signed with the Seattle Seahawks and spent the majority of the time on the practice roster before being released that same year.
Bell next turned to the CFL, signing on with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2008. Once again, he was never in position to earn the starting job. At best, he was a third string quarterback with the team.
This could have been the end of Bell’s starting aspirations. He could have merely played out the rest his career on Saskatchewan’s bench or have been released.
But then, on Bell’s birthday (March 9, 2010), he was traded to the Toronto Argonauts for a fifth round draft pick in 2010 CFL draft. This could turn out to be the best move in his career.
In Toronto, a feat that had once seemed improbable suddenly became probable.
Bell couldn’t have landed in a better spot to try to become a starting quarterback. Toronto was a wreck after a 3-15 season. Management had cleaned house in the off-season, releasing all of the team’s quarterback from 2009.
Bell would be competing against Dorsey, Lemon, Gibran Hamdan and Canadian Danny Brannagan for the job.
Bell had a good shot in the beginning, being the only quarterback with any kind of CFL experience. His luck quickly improved again when Hamdan retired. Brannagan was never a serious contender for the position and Bell helped himself by out performing Lemon and Dorsey in preseason.
If he does get the starting job in Toronto, Bell has no easy task ahead of him. Toronto scored under 20 points a game last season. Furthermore, they averaged only 82 rush yards a game and threw for only 229 yards a game.
The team hasn’t made the playoffs for the last two seasons.
The running game appears to be in rough shape again this season. Toronto let go of solid running back Jamal Robertson in the off-season, meaning it will likely be an inexperienced running back getting the start. Though, Cory Boyd shows promise – he ran for 147 yards and a touchdown in Toronto’s second preseason game.
The passing game has potential for Toronto. Jeremaine Copeland, Chad Lucas and Reggie McNeal are inviting targets. All they need is a quarterback to get the ball to them.
Could Bell get the job done?
Welcome to the big stage Bell, it is time to see how ready you actually are.
June 21st, 2010 at 11:09 AM
Is it really that surprising that Dalton Bell has played well and is in a good position to be the starting quarterback? The transition from the NFL to the CFL is not an easy one to make, and Bell’s experience in Saskatchewan is certainly proving beneficial as Cleo Lemon and Ken Dorsey adjust to three-down football. All the same, until he proves otherwise, Bell certainly isn’t Anthony Calvillo or Ricky Ray.
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June 21st, 2010 at 11:20 AM
Like I said, his road to the starting role has been both probable and improbable. Until he got to Toronto, it appeared the Bell would never become a starter. Once he got to Toronto, where the quarterback situation was critical, it suddenly became more probable.
How he does this season is another question, but I think Barker would be foolish to start Lemon.
June 22nd, 2010 at 11:44 AM
Start Bell,
He has worked hard and not given up. He has never been at the right place at right time. He was first an undrafted free agent his rookie year with Carolina Panthers and was on the team the entire preseason didnt look too bad but there were too many in front of him, same at Green Bay and Seattle. Sometimes you just need to be given that chance. He has a great arm and can throw down field. Give him a shot. 18 out of 26 and over 300 yrds in 2 preseason games is good.
We will be watching him down here in Texas.