It was not too long ago where the path to playing time was quite clear for second year receiver David Bell. Only Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones were ahead of him on the depth chart and the Browns had needs in other areas that needed to be addressed. Cleveland still went out and added receiving options which will make things a bit more difficult for Bell to be a meaningful contributor in the passing game.
Cooper, Peoples-Jones, and Elijah Moore are the top three receivers on the depth chart. After that Cleveland will most likely utilize the services of Marquise Goodwin to stretch the field. With those four as top options at the receiving position in addition to the team using David Njoku at the tight end position, playing time will be hard to come by. All of this is before even mentioning that the Browns have the best running back in the NFL in Nick Chubb.
So where does David Bell fit in?
Right now he doesn’t. There is a reason why the Browns went out and traded for Moore, signed Goodwin, and drafted Cedric Tillman. Cleveland had certain needs at the receiver position that Bell is not able to help with at the current moment. There is also the rumors of DeAndre Hopkins being linked to the team. While Cleveland is not considered a major contender, the fact that the connection was made cannot be ignored.
Another fact that should not be discounted is just how active the Browns front office was in adding pass catching talent to this roster. If there was something they saw in Bell that indicated he could be a major contributor they would not have made the volume of additions at the receiver position.
Barring injury or anything else resulting in players missing time, there really is not a clear way for Bell to get a high quantity of snaps in 2023. Bell saw 47% of snaps last season, catching 24 passes for 214 yards in 16 games. Considering the new receiving options in Cleveland, it would not be all that shocking to see these numbers drop across the board.
Once Cooper and Peoples-Jones most likely depart after the upcoming season is the earliest that Bell could realistically have a real shot at playing time. That is if the Browns do not add someone else to leapfrog him and others on the depth chart by then.
