Browns Shockingly Cut Wide Receiver Ahead of Week 1 Game

The Cleveland Browns made a shocking roster move on Thursday, which will shake up the wide receiver unit ahead of Sunday’s opener against the Dallas Cowboys.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the Browns waived former third-round pick David Bell. The 23-year-old wide receiver was taken with the No. 99 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

However, Cabot adds the Browns like Bell a lot and he may be back with the team. Zac Jackson of The Athletic also reported that Cleveland needs the roster spot for reinforcements at other positions for Week 1.

The 6-foot-1 wide receiver took a step back in his second year in the league in 2023. Bell had 14 receptions (23 targets) for 167 yards, which was a notable difference from what he did as a rookie in 2022 (24 receptions, 35 targets for 214).

However, the main difference between last season and Bell’s rookie season is that the former Purdue standout found the end zone three times in 2023.

With Bell off the roster for this week, it could mean extra snaps for second-year wideout Cedric Tillman and rookie Jamari Thrash. Last season, Tillman had 21 receptions (44 targets) for 224 yards. 

Meanwhile, Thrash made a few notable plays in the preseason, including a 4/73/1 statline in the finale against the Seattle Seahawks. That said, we likely won’t see a lot of Tillman and Thrash on Sunday as the Browns will depend on Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, and Elijah Moore.

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