The Cleveland Browns released wide receiver David Bell on Tuesday, ending a three-season tenure that produced 833 receiving yards on 71 receptions across 41 games. Bell, a third-round selection (No. 99 overall) in the 2022 draft out of Purdue, appeared in 16 games during his rookie year but never moved past fourth on the depth chart. The move clears $985,000 in cap space and opens a roster spot Cleveland will likely fill from the practice squad before Sunday's divisional game against Jacksonville.
Bell's release follows a pattern familiar to personnel evaluators: early-round receivers who test well but lack separation speed rarely survive past their third year when the fifth-year option decision looms. Cleveland drafted him after he posted 1,286 yards and six touchdowns in his final season at Purdue, but Big Ten production against zone coverage did not translate against NFL corners playing press-man. He logged 23 offensive snaps in Week 1 against Dallas, catching one pass for 5 yards. The Browns are carrying Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore, and Cedric Tillman as their top three receivers, with second-year undrafted player Jamari Thrash winning the fourth spot Bell once occupied.
The Indianapolis Colts took the opposite approach Tuesday, activating Alec Pierce from the physically unable to perform list. Pierce, a second-round pick in 2022 (No. 53 overall), missed the first week of the season recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in August camp. He caught 32 passes for 514 yards and two touchdowns last season as Indianapolis' primary deep threat, averaging 16.1 yards per reception. The Colts will need to make a corresponding roster move before their Thursday night game against Green Bay; special teams contributors are the likeliest candidates for release, though the team could also waive an offensive lineman currently on the practice squad elevation cycle.
The timing matters. Teams operate under a rolling waiver system through Week 3, after which moves become subject to standard claim order based on standings. Bell clears waivers Wednesday at 4pm ET; any team below Cleveland in last year's draft order can claim his contract. Denver, Carolina, and Chicago hold priority. None appear likely to claim him given existing receiver depth, but Cleveland's front office would prefer he lands in the NFC to avoid providing game film to AFC North opponents. The same calculus applies to Pierce's activation; Indianapolis plays in a division where Cincinnati, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh all run heavy man-coverage schemes that struggle against vertical receivers. Getting Pierce active now, even if he only plays 15-20 snaps Thursday, gives quarterback Anthony Richardson a contested-catch target the offense lacked in Week 1's loss to Houston.
The broader context is September roster churn among receivers drafted in the second and third rounds between 2020 and 2022. Of the 48 wideouts selected in those rounds during that span, 11 are no longer with their original teams, and 4 are out of the league entirely. Teams are making these cuts now because practice squad rules allow clubs to protect up to four veteran players each week, creating a path to retain talent without burning a 53-man spot. Cleveland will likely try to re-sign Bell to their practice squad if he clears waivers; Purdue connections to the coaching staff suggest there is organizational fondness even if the on-field production did not justify a roster spot.
Watch Indianapolis' corresponding move before Thursday's kickoff. If they waive a defensive back rather than a special-teamer, it signals concern about coverage depth following Pierce's return. Cleveland, meanwhile, has coordinator hires to finalize for 2024; offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt is a candidate for head coaching interviews in January, and the front office wants clarity on his staff before the bye week in October. Bell's release removes one decision from that equation. The Colts play three division games in the next five weeks, all against teams that struggled against deep passing last season.
The takeaway
Cleveland cuts third-round 2022 WR after **833 yards** in three years; Indianapolis activates deep threat Alec Pierce before Thursday NFC matchup.
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