The Cleveland Browns made a surprising move just days before their season opener, waiving third-year wide receiver David Bell. ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi was the first to report the news, which left many fans curious about the Browns’ next steps. Despite the move, Bell is expected to rejoin the Browns on their practice squad if he clears waivers.
Bell, a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, had a relatively quiet start to his NFL career. In his first two seasons, he caught 38 passes for 381 yards, failing to make the kind of impact the Browns had hoped for when they drafted him out of Purdue. Though he made Cleveland’s initial 53-man roster this season, it was clear that his spot was tenuous given the Browns’ deep pass-catching corps.
Despite a solid training camp in which Browns receivers coach Chad O’Shea praised Bell for his reliability, the team ultimately felt they could move on without him. O’Shea had highlighted Bell’s versatility and dependability, saying, “David’s had a great training camp so far. The word that always comes with David is dependability. He’s able to handle multiple roles for us in different ways. He helps our team.”
However, Bell’s release was influenced by the emergence of other receivers, most notably Cedric Tillman. Tillman, who caught just 21 passes for 224 yards during his rookie season, made a significant leap during the offseason. His standout performances in training camp and preseason made Bell more expendable as the Browns narrowed down their roster.
Tillman’s growth did not go unnoticed by Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, who noted in June, “I don’t believe Ced missed a day of the offseason program. He was here every single day. I know he got better because of that…definitely got better on the grass.”
With a receiving corps led by Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, and Elijah Moore, the Browns feel confident that they have enough talent to compensate for Bell’s departure. Rookie Jamari Thrash also impressed during the preseason, further strengthening the depth at wide receiver.
Of course, the depth at wide receiver will only matter if quarterback Deshaun Watson is able to bounce back to his Pro Bowl form. Watson, who has played in just 12 games over the last two seasons, expressed his excitement and confidence ahead of the Browns’ opener against the Dallas Cowboys.
“I think the emotions are super high just like everyone else,” Watson said Wednesday. “Just getting back for the first game, the start of the season, getting out there and just letting all the hard work you put in during the offseason show on the field.”
Watson’s performance will be key as the Browns aim to make a strong start to the season. Through his two seasons in Cleveland, Watson has passed for 2,217 yards with 14 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. The Browns enter their opener as 2.5-point favorites against the Cowboys, and Watson will be looking to prove that he’s ready to lead Cleveland to a successful season.
