Getty Wide receiver David Bell of the Cleveland Browns.
The Cleveland Browns haven’t scrimped on draft investment in wide receivers over the past few seasons, but the team has yet to hit on any of them in a real way.
Former third-round pick David Bell, the No. 99 overall selection in 2022 out of Purdue, is perhaps the best and most unfortunate example. Cleveland drafted Bell during the same offseason that it traded for both quarterback Deshaun Watson and wideout Amari Cooper, in what was the beginning of a significant — albeit misguided, in retrospect — attempt to create a dynamic passing game to complement a defense on its way to becoming the league’s best in 2023.
While Watson has proven a flop of epic proportions — overshadowing every other mistake the Browns front office has made since surrendering three first-round picks and $230 million to add him — Bell has been almost equally disappointing based on expectations. Because of that, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report took the position on Monday, August 12, that Bell is among the biggest names on the NFL roster bubble this preseason and is facing the real and sobering possibility of his release.
“There’s a numbers game to be played in Cleveland, and it could cost Bell a roster spot,” Knox wrote. “Cleveland has shown that it won’t keep players for sentimental reasons. Anthony Schwartz, a 2021 third-round pick, was in Bell’s position last offseason, and he was waived at the end of August. Bell suffered a quad injury in the preseason opener, which could make it difficult for him to make an impression before final cuts.”
Bell is entering the third season of his four-year, $5.1 million rookie contract and his release represents potential salary cap savings of nearly $1.2 million for the Browns.
Browns Loading up Across Wide Receiver Position Group
GettyCleveland Browns wide receiver David Bell faces an uphill battle to remain on the roster.
Bell’s injury could serve as the nail in his proverbial coffin in Cleveland, simply because of the competition for a roster spot in a position group that the Browns are investing in heavily.
The team reworked Cooper’s contract and traded for Jerry Jeudy this offseason, one year after dealing for Elijah Moore. The Browns then immediately jumped into the deep end as a potential trade suitor for Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers once he became publicly available earlier this month.
Cedric Tillman is another third-round draft pick of the Browns, though he came more recently than Bell (2023) and also saw 44 targets in 14 games played as opposed to the 23 targets Bell had over 15 contests last season. Jaelon Darden has second-string potential and is a candidate to contribute as a punt returner on special teams, which could provide him with an edge.
Cleveland also spent a fifth-rounder on Jamari Thrash in April, and the recency of that investment gives him an inside track to a roster spot in 2024.
David Bell Has NFL Future, not Necessarily With Browns
GettyWide receiver David Bell of the Cleveland Browns.
Previous production could have played in Bell’s favor this offseason, but he simply hasn’t produced the kind of resumé over two years that a young, and at least semi-injured player, can lean on while fighting for a job in a competitive position group.
Bell put up just 14 catches for 167 yards and 3 scores in 2024 after producing just 214 receiving yards during his rookie campaign.
Bell is only 23 years old (turns 24 in mid-December) and boasts quality size at 6-feet-1, 212 pounds. If healthy, the amount of his contract and his potential to still develop into a meaningful NFL contributor would at least give him a shot to make Cleveland’s roster for the third consecutive year.
However, the depth of talent at the position and the Browns’ clear intent to try and win now could render the former third-rounder a casualty of the summer and see him playing in a new uniform as early as late August or September.
Comments
Browns $5 Million Draft Bust Named Top Cut Candidate