Josh Bell has retired to become the Stampeders' DB coach. Bell's retirement, combined with the potential loss of three DBs through free agency means the defensive backfield of Calgary could be quite different next year.

After two years with the B.C. Lions, Bell joined the Stampeders in 2014 and played four seasons in Calgary. He won the Grey Cup with the team in his first season and in 86 career CFL games he had 206 tackles – including 10 for losses – 16 special teams tackles, one sack, five interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 17 knockdowns.
His numbers only tell part of the story, though, as Bell emerged as one of the leaders in the Stampeders lockerroom and was named a team captain for the 2017 season.
The respect his teammates had for Bell was made clear at the end of last year, when he was voted by his teammates to win the Presidents’ Ring, which goes to the player who exhibits excellence on and off the field, as well as the Herm Harrison Memorial Award for work in the community. ...

“It took me about 24 hours to kind of reprioritize my life dream, my life journey of wanting to play professional football, because that was my life goal from when I was seven or eight years old. And then all in a span of 24 or 48 hours I had to look and then say ‘let’s re-prioritize’ and ‘is it more important for me to play another year or more important to get started in the next part of my football profession, which may last me the next 40 years?’ ”
Under former DB coach Kahlil Carter last season, the Stamps boasted arguably the best defensive backs group in the entire league. While Brandon Smith has re-signed with the Stamps for next year, the team still hasn’t locked up Jamar Wall, Ciante Evans and Tommie Campbell for the 2018 season.
http://calgarysun.com/sports/footbal...s-new-db-coach