Bell and the Chiefs agreed to a one-year contract Friday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Bell will return to Kansas City for a fourth straight season with the team in 2023. As a backup option behind Travis Kelce at tight end, Bell appeared in three games in 2022, reeling in two catches for 20 yards and a score. With the departures of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman at wide receiver this offseason, it's possible that Bell could be asked to step into a larger role next season.
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Chiefs' Blake Bell: Small involvement late in 2022
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Bell caught his only target for three yards during the Week 18 victory versus the Raiders.
Bell spent most of the 2022 campaign on injured reserve due to a hip flexor injury that required surgery. He didn't rejoin the action until Week 16 and played minimal offensive snaps over the final three weeks. Despite that, the veteran backup tight end compiled a pair of catches for 20 yards and his first career touchdown. Bell is late enough in his career that he's clearly not going to turn into a significant receiving threat, so he can be left on waiver wires everywhere heading into 2023. Bell is also a free agent heading into next season, so he'll aim to find a home somewhere as a backup again.
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Chiefs' Blake Bell: Activated from injured reserve
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The Chiefs activated Bell (hip) from injured reserve Friday.
Bell, who's yet to play this year while rehabbing from hip surgery, was designated to return from injured reserve Tuesday and has been added to the active roster Friday. He's on track to make his season debut Saturday against the Seahawks, but fantasy mangers are still encouraged to confirm his status ahead of kickoff. If he's indeed available, he'll likely assume the backup role behind Travis Kelce and Noah Gray that was previously held by Jody Fortson, who's been placed on injured reserve with an elbow injury.
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Chiefs' Blake Bell: Could suit up Week 16
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Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Thursday that he feels "pretty good" that Bell (hip) will be activated from IR ahead of Saturday's game against the Seahawks, Herbie Teope of The Kansas City Star reports.
Bell was placed on IR after undergoing surgery to address a hip flexor injury in late August. The 31-year-old was designated to return from injured reserve Tuesday, and it appears he could be ready to suit up again at the earliest possible opportunity Week 16. Bell caught nine passes for 87 yards over 16 regular-season games last season, With Jody Fortson (elbow) already ruled out against Seattle, Bell could immediately step back in as the Chiefs' No. 3 tight end behind Travis Kelce and Noah Gray.
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Chiefs' Blake Bell: Designated to return from IR
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The Chiefs designated Bell (hip) to return from injured reserve Tuesday, Pete Sweeney of ArrowheadPride.com reports.
Bell practiced Tuesday for the first time this season, which begins a 21-day window for him to be added to the active roster. It's unclear if he'll suit up in Week 16, but if he's available, he could help replace the potential absence of Jody Fortson, who's unlikely to play against the Seahawks due to an elbow injury, per head coach Andy Reid, Sweeney reports.
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Chiefs' Blake Bell: Return timeline still unclear
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Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said Bell (hip) is close to a return but added the tight end could also be sidelined for a couple more weeks, Herbie Teope of The Kansas City Star reports.
Bell began the campaign on IR following surgery to repair a hip flexor injury he suffered in late August and has remained sidelined since. While Reid's comments about the tight end being close to a return are encouraging, the head coach had a similar sentiment ahead of Kansas City's Week 8 bye, but Bell still remains on IR to start Week 9. It sounds like the Chiefs expect the tight end to return this season, but they don't appear to be in any rush to get him back on the active roster.
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Chiefs' Blake Bell: Placed on injured reserve
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The Chiefs placed Bell (hip) on injured reserve Monday, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com reports.
Bell underwent surgery to address a hip flexor injury in late August and doesn't yet have a timetable for return, but he'll be forced to miss at least the first four weeks of the regular season. Once the 2015 fourth-rounder is back to full health, he's expected to serve as depth at tight end behind Travis Kelce.
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Chiefs' Blake Bell: Expected to start season on IR
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Bell (hip) is expected to make the Chiefs' initial 53-man roster then be placed on IR, Pete Sweeney of ArrowheadPride.com reports.
Bell's placement on IR won't be season-ending due to him making Kansas City's initial 53-man roster, but he will be required to miss at least the first four games of the season once the move is made official. Once healthy, Bell is expected to handle an important depth role behind Travis Kelce.
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Chiefs' Blake Bell: Dealing with hip flexor
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Bell is without a timeline to return from surgery to address a hip flexor injury, ESPN.com reports.
Bell suffered the injury in the Chiefs' preseason opener, which ultimately led to him undergoing surgery. Head coach Andy Reid said Wednesday that it's an "unusual" injury, and Reid added that he doesn't expect to see Bell on the field in the near future. The tight end could end up on injured reserve next week, a move that Reid did not rule out.
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Chiefs' Blake Bell: Undergoes hip procedure
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Bell recently underwent surgery to address a hip flexor injury, Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star reports.
While a timetable for Bell's return hasn't been outlined, it seems likely he'll miss regular-season action. In his absence, Noah Gray
and Jody Fortson are next up for tight end reps behind the team's clear-cut top option at the position, Travis Kelce.
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Chiefs' Blake Bell: Remains sidelined with hip flexor
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Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said Bell (hip) didn't practice Monday, Pete Sweeney of ArrowheadPride.com reports.
Bell was carted off the field during Saturday's preseason contest due to the hip flexor injury, but the severity of the issue remains unclear. In his absence, Noah Gray and Jody Fortson are candidates for increased roles behind Travis Kelce.
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Chiefs' Blake Bell: Closes out 2021 on quiet note
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Bell was not targeted on his 21 offensive snaps in the regular-season finale versus the Broncos.
The Belldozer compiled just nine total catches for 87 yards on 13 targets during the 2021 season and has just two seasons total with double-digit receptions. The veteran tight end still hasn't caught a touchdown pass in his career and enters the offseason set to become an unrestricted free agent following a one-year deal. With Noah Gray developing behind Travis Kelce, Bell may be ticketed for a spot elsewhere in 2022.
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Chiefs' Blake Bell: Four touches in Week 17
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Bell hauled in all of his three targets for 35 yards and rushed once for a pair of yards in Sunday's game against the Bengals.
Bell's rush came in the form of a fourth-down trick play in which he motioned under center and took what was essentially a quarterback sneak for the first down. Bell has some experience under center from his college days but doesn't figure to be utilized in that capacity very often, rushing just four times all season. He also finished with a season-high three catches in the contest, though the 36 percent offensive snap count aligns with what he's seen all season and would suggest this is most likely an outlier.
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Chiefs' Blake Bell: Returns from reserve/COVID-19 list
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Bell was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday, Matt Derrick of ChiefsDigest.com reports.
Bell was on the COVID list for just three days before his activation Friday. Meanwhile, superstar tight end Travis Kelce has not yet passed through league COVID protocols, putting Bell in position to potentially start Sunday against Pittsburgh. Kelce's return in time for the contest has not yet been ruled out, however, so the situation remains murky for fantasy managers who roster Kelce and/or are considering picking up Bell.
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Chiefs' Blake Bell: Expected back from COVID list
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Bell is expected to come off the reserve/COVID-19 list in advance of Sunday's game against the Steelers, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
While such a move has yet to be confirmed by the team, Bell's Week 16 status is noteworthy, with Kansas City's top tight end Travis Kelce (illness) also on the reserve/COVID-19 list. If Bell is activated for Sunday's contest and Kelce isn't, Bell would be line to share TE work with Noah Gray versus Pittsburgh.
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Chiefs' Blake Bell: Overcomes back issue
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Bell (back) returned to full practice Wednesday.
Bell missed the team's Week 6 matchup against Washington. However, he has seemingly recovered from the issue and should be in for a return in Week 7 against the Titans. Bell should continue to occupy the backup tight end role, and he's recorded four receptions for 33 yards through five games on the campaign.
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Chiefs' Blake Bell: Ruled out for Week 6
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Bell (back) won't play in Sunday's contest against Washington, Nate Taylor of The Athletic reports.
Bell didn't practice at all this week, so his status for Sunday shouldn't be a surprise. The 30-year-old has played at least 17 offensive snaps in all five games this season, so Noah Gray and Jody Fortson should be in line for an increased workload behind Travis Kelce on Sunday.
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Chiefs' Blake Bell: Not practicing Wednesday
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Bell (back) didn't practice Wednesday, Herbie Teope of The Kansas City Star reports.
It's unclear when Bell picked up the injury, but it's worth monitoring throughout the week. Travis Kelce (neck) also is questionable for Week 6, so Noah Gray and Jody Fortson could be in line for extended work against Washington.
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Chiefs' Blake Bell: Back with Chiefs
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Bell has signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs, Herbie Teope of The Kansas City Star reports.
Bell spent last season with the Cowboys, logging 11 catches for 110 yards in 16 games. He's now set to return to Kansas City, where he played in 2019 and will provide the team with a capable blocking tight end presence behind star pass catcher Travis Kelce.
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Cowboys' Blake Bell: Small role in 2020
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Bell (neck) caught 11 of 15 targets for 110 yards over 16 games for the Cowboys in 2020.
After Blake Jarwin (knee) was lost for the season in Week 1, Dalton Schultz moved into the No. 1 tight end spot for Dallas, but Bell remained purely a blocker for the most part. Even so, the 110 receiving yards was the veteran TE's best total since he was a rookie with the 49ers in 2015. A free agent once again, Bell could find himself playing for his sixth team in six years in 2021.
