Cleveland Browns waive former 2022 3rd-round pick wide receiver David Bell

BEREA — The Browns have moved on from wide receiver David Bell, waiving the 2022 third-round pick Thursday afternoon.

Bell, 23, spent most of the preseason out of action after sustaining a quad injury in the preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers. He returned to practice on Wednesday for the first time since that game.

There's no word on a corresponding move to fill Bell's spot on the roster.

The former third-round pick (No. 99 overall) out of Purdue University appeared in 31 games, including six starts, over his first two seasons. He recorded 38 receptions for 381 yards and three touchdowns.

Bell's biggest moments came a year ago when he had two massive fourth-down catches to help the Browns win home games against the San Francisco 49ers and the Jacksonville Jaguars. They were his lone catches in each game.

Against the 49ers, Bell had a 6-yard catch on fourth-and-4 from the San Francisco 40 that kept a field goal drive alive late in the fourth quarter of a 19-17 come-from-behind win. Against the Jaguars, his 41-yard TD catch on fourth-and-3 early in the fourth quarter helped open up a two-touchdown lead in what ended up being a 31-27 win.

Bell's final game with the Browns was last January's AFC wild card game at the Houston Texans, where he had a team-high eight catches for 54 yards. The previous game, the regular-season finale at the Cincinnati Bengals, he had two touchdowns and 68 yards on four catches.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Browns waive former 2022 3rd-round pick wide receiver David Bell