The Minnesota Vikings put in a waiver claim on Blake Bell after he was released from the San Francisco 49ers and was awarded rights to the tight end.
Even though the cuts had been made to reach the 53 man roster for the 2017 NFL season, that didn’t mean that the Minnesota Vikings were done tinkering with the players they will bring in for week 1.
It didn’t take long for the Vikings to make a move. When the San Francisco 49ers decided to move on from Blake Bell, Minnesota made sure to put a waiver claim on him. And they have been awarded the tight end.
News of this transaction was shared on the Star Tribune website, where they explained that he was mostly used in special teams situations since being a 4th round draft pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.
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Bell made 5 starts in 2015 and has played in 27 total games for the 49ers over his 2 seasons in the league. Over that time, he has caught 19 passes for 271 yards, but has failed to reach the end zone.
This is an interesting move because the addition not only forces Minnesota to release a player to stay at the 53 man limit, but it also adds another man to a tight end grouping that doesn’t need a lot more assistance.
Kyle Rudolph is a solid all-around tight end while the team has blocking specialist David Morgan and receiving specialist Bucky Hodges. Adding Bell to the main roster is a bit of a head scratching move, but perhaps his familiarity to Vikings offensive line coach Tony Sparano helped to make this transaction happen.
Next: Vikings release offensive lineman Alex Boone
What do you think of the Minnesota Vikings bringing in another tight end to the roster? And will he contribute during the 2017 season? Let us know your thoughts on the team claiming Blake Bell on waivers in the comments section below.