Option for Steelers? Browns Waive Highly Drafted Wide Receiver

The Cleveland Browns have waived wide receiver David Bell, their third-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft, according to the NFL transactions page for Thursday. Bell could be a potential option for the wide receiver-needy Pittsburgh Steelers.

Bell, 23, is a 6-foot-1, 212 pound wide receiver out of Purdue. He made six starts over two seasons with the Browns, but never became a reliable part of the Cleveland passing attack.

As a rookie in 2022, Bell played in 16 games and made three starts. He got 24 of 35 targets for 214 yards. And his second season, his role was reduced. Despite again playing in 16 games and making three starts, he made just 14 catches for 167 yards in 2023, so he did score his first career touchdown.

The additions of former Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy and 2024 fifth-round pick Jamari Thrash pushed Bell to sixth on the Cleveland depth chart at wide receiver. After making the initial Cleveland 53-man roster last Tuesday, despite dealing with a preseason quad injury, Bell was placed on waivers on Thursday. The Browns did not immediately announce a corresponding transaction.

Over his two seasons in Cleveland, Bell played in the slot about 65% of the time, and he could be an intriguing option for the Steelers who do not have a big bodied slot option on their roster. The team’s three current slot receivers are all smaller players in Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson and Scotty Miller.

The Steelers do have some bigger-bodied receivers on their practice squad, including former Super Bowl champion Ben Skowronek and Denver Broncos receiver Brandon Johnson, who played with quarterback Russell Wilson last season.

The Steelers showed interest in Bell in the pre-draft process, interviewing him at the 2022 NFL Combine. Bell said he modeled his game shirt former Steelers wide receiver Allen Robinson II.

“I’ve actually been watching him since he was at Penn State,” Bell said. “I always had the opportunity to watch college football and growing up in the Midwest, the Big Ten was something that was always on TV. So just being able to watch him at a Penn State and at Jacksonville and also here with the Chicago Bears but the contested point catch, just the way how he’s aggressive attacking the ball and stuff like that.”

The Steelers’ 53-man roster is currently full, but they could make a roster spot by placing guard Isaac Seumalo on injured reserve. Seumalo expected to miss four weeks with a pectoral strain.

RELATED: Purdue WR David Bell Draws Comparisons to JuJu Smith-Schuster