Training camp and the preseason are two times when the Minnesota Vikings can find some gems. While players like safety Jacob Thomas have taken advantage of their opportunities, many expected wide receiver Dillon Bell to do the same after he made noise during the team's offseason program.
An undrafted rookie out of Georgia, Bell fired up the hype train when he showed improvement and even got time with the first team in June’s minicamp.
But despite catching six passes for 51 yards in this past Saturday’s preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, it doesn't seem like he's done enough to make the 53-man roster, at least according to the latest roster projection from The Athletic's Alec Lewis.
While Lewis noted Bell “excelled” in his latest preseason showing, it may be too late, and it’s a case where he may have fumbled his chance as roster cuts loom.
Dillon Bell had the tools and opportunity to become a Minnesota Vikings training camp gem
Bell had an intriguing profile heading into the offseason. At six feet and 209 pounds, Bell has a stocky frame and speed to post a 4.5-second time in the 40-yard dash.
His versatility also was a selling point, and former Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith Sr. labeled him a “diamond in the rough” during the pre-draft process.
While there’s a lot to like, the missing piece was the opportunity. In 56 games at Georgia, Bell caught 119 passes for 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns. But Smith criticized the way he was used as well as the play of quarterback Gunnar Stockton, saying he would “go on strike” if he were to play with him under center.
For all of the criticisms, Bell’s teammate Zachariah Branch didn’t have the same issues, catching 81 passes for 811 yards and six touchdowns for Georgia last season after transferring from USC and getting selected in the third round by the Atlanta Falcons in last year’s draft.
But Bell seemed to validate Smith’s claims early in camp, showing improvement in his route running and earning a prominent role in minicamp.
With a depth chart that was wide open after Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings, it appeared that Bell was a favorite to make the team. But that’s not what’s happened with his preseason performance.
Minnesota Vikings’ crowded receiver room may have passed Dillon Bell by
Part of the problem is what has happened elsewhere in the Vikings’ receiver room. Tai Felton looks markedly improved after a non-existent rookie season, and grabbed a 50-yard pass from J.J. McCarthy during the preseason loss to the Ravens.
Myles Price has also come on, scoring a touchdown in the preseason opener against the New York Giants, and would have scored another on Saturday if it weren’t for a rocket ball from McCarthy as he was wide open in the end zone.
It’s fair to note that Bell also had statistical production in Saturday’s game, but how it came is concerning. According to PFF, Bell has an average depth of target of 4.7 yards, which is the 14th lowest among 188 qualifying receivers this preseason.
It also may signal a concern with Bell’s route running, which may have looked great without pads during minicamp but could be an issue as the Vikings have gotten into games.
With Kevin O’Connell desperate to hunt big plays downfield, Bell’s lack of those routes could become a problem, and it makes him more of a project than the potential game-changer he was billed as during minicamp.
It creates an interesting dilemma for Bell as roster cuts are approaching. If the Vikings decide to keep six receivers, Bell may find a spot on the team and be protected from being claimed off waivers.
But if they don't, Bell's status as a raw project may be enough to sneak him onto the practice squad or be a promising piece that never contributes either in Minnesota or somewhere else.
At this point, it’s fair to trust the Vikings judgement and if Bell winds up becoming a training camp cut, it will make his preseason performance a mirage that plenty of fans fell for.
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