It is only the second year of David Bell’s time with the Cleveland Browns, but could that time be coming to an end soon? This is a fair question with the front office not being shy about adding pass catching help.
Since the conclusion of last season the team has added Elijah Moore via trade, signed Marquise Goodwin, and drafted Cedric Tillman. There is also the return of Jakeem Grant after missing all of last season due to injury. The Browns starting receiving group of Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Moore will be taking the majority of snaps. Goodwin will have his fair share of plays when the situation calls for it.
So, where does David Bell stand?
Right now it looks like on the outside looking in. The combination of last year’s starters combined with the new additions does not bode well for Bell. When a front office is finding more receiving options it does not point towards them being content with what they have. Wide receiver depth was a clear issue for the Browns last season, that is an indisputable fact. The Browns would not have aggressively added receiving help if Bell was under consideration as a legitimate option.
What this comes down to is job security. Cleveland has added receiving options through every avenue imaginable. That does not sound particularly great for the job security of anyone outside of the starting lineup.
An argument can be made that the Browns front office is looking from a multi-year perspective. This would include the potential departures of Cooper and Peoples-Jones after this year. However, if Bell was truly viewed as a potential valuable contributor there would be an active effort for him to see the field more, not less.
The reality is that there are only so many available snaps that can be distributed to wide receivers and they are currently accounted for without including David Bell. While Bell may stick around a bit for depth purposes, it would not be all that surprising to see him in a different uniform next season if not sooner.
