Miami Dolphins rookie wide receiver Chris Bell returned from a torn ACL to make his preseason debut and provided an encouraging preview of what he can bring to the offense.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins rookie wide receiver Chris Bell finally gave the team and its fan base a glimpse of what he can bring to the offense.
Bell, whom Miami selected in the third round of April’s draft, made his preseason debut Friday in the Dolphins’ 17-12 loss to the Atlanta Falcons at Hard Rock Stadium.
The game marked the preseason finale for both teams.
After undergoing surgery for a torn ACL suffered last November, Bell missed most of the Dolphins’ offseason program and training camp while working his way back to full strength.
Bell finished Friday’s game with two catches for 22 yards on five targets.
Bell's biggest play came on an 18-yard reception from Cam Miller that generated a loud reaction from the home crowd.
The statistics weren't eye-popping, but the significance of Bell’s return was much greater.
After spending months rehabbing and watching from the sidelines, he finally had an opportunity to test his knee in a live NFL game.
Bell also experienced the physicality that comes with playing professional football.
Bell absorbed a hard hit on a pass from Miller but continued playing and did not appear bothered by the contact.
For the Dolphins, the game offered information they simply could not get from rehabilitation work and individual drills.
Bell had to run routes against an opponent, absorb contact, adjust on the fly, and make plays in a game environment.
Despite missing so much time, Bell said he remains confident he will be ready for Miami’s Sept. 13 season opener in Las Vegas.
"I'll be ready. I'm ready now, but I definitely will be ready in two weeks. I really needed this game, just to step out on the NFL field and play against some competition, other than my teammates in practice. So I 100 percent will be ready," Bell told reporters Friday after the game.
One challenge moving forward will be developing chemistry with quarterback Malik Willis, which Bell will have to do on the fly.
Willis sat out the remainder of the preseason after playing the opening series in Miami’s first preseason game, and Bell did not have an opportunity to practice with him before Friday's contest.
That makes their limited time together particularly important with the regular season approaching.
Bell’s debut was never really about producing mind-boggling numbers.
The focus was on getting back into the flow of the game, seeing how his knee responded, and showing he could hold up against NFL competition.
For Miami, Bell checked most of those boxes. He took contact from a hard hit, kept running his routes, and showed some encouraging signs.
With two weeks remaining before the opener, the Dolphins can now work toward gradually increasing Bell’s workload while building his connection with Willis.
