The Cleveland Browns are down a receiver after David Bell was carted off the field against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
Bell hit the turf early in the third quarter after a 6-yard grab. He looked to land awkwardly on his hip after being tackled by Jaguars lineman Arik Armstead. The cart came out for Bell after it was apparent he was in significant pain.
The Browns quickly ruled Bell out for the rest of the game. Kevin Stefanski said after the game that Bell dislocated his hip.
Bell has had an interesting few weeks with the Browns. He was initially waived ahead of the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys but later placed on the practice squad.
He was added back to the active roster on September 11 and was busy in his first action of the season. Bell had three catches for 27 yards prior to the injury.
Browns running back Pierre Strong Jr. was also injured against the Jaguars. He was ruled out with a hamstring injury in the third quarter.
Browns Praised David Bell for Dependability
The Browns selected Bell in the third round of the 2022 draft. He didn’t make an immediate impact, catching just 38 passes for 381 yards in his first two seasons.
However, the Browns have praised him as a reliable option for Watson, which he was proving early against the Jaguars.
“I mean, the word that always comes with David is dependability,” Browns receivers coach Chad O’Shea said in August. “He’s been dependable in various roles for us. He’s able to handle multiple roles for us in different ways. He helps our team. So, I can’t say enough about David Bell. And again, when I say the word David Bell and his name, dependability comes right with that.”
The Browns are fairly deep at wide receiver. The unit features Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore and Jerry Jeudy.
Browns Offense Bounces Back Against Jaguars
The Browns’ offense was in desperate need of a bounce-back performance after a miserable opener. Cleveland didn’t get anything going on offense during a 33-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, with most of the yardage coming with the game out of reach in the second half.
“I think just overall, we didn’t perform the way we wanted to. And whether it’s surprising or just whatever that emotion is, obviously, we want to learn from that, correct it, and come back out ready to roll this week,” Browns offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey said on September 12.
The Browns did just that early against the Jaguars. The offense put together a nearly picture-perfect opening drive, going 89 yards in 15 plays for a touchdown. The drive took more than 9 minutes off the clock.
Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson also looked significantly sharper and more decisive. It helped that he wasn’t under constant pressure or finding a way to run into it.
