Feb. 27, 2026, 1:13 p.m. CT
Not everyone in attendance at the NFL Combine is there to run drills and be timed in the 40-yard dash. Former Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell is still recovering from a knee injury, but he’s using this time to meet with teams and go through medical checks to help fill out his scouting report. He was projected to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft before tearing his ACL in November. One big supporter in his corner? New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough. Bell spoke about the possibility of teaming up with his old QB at the combine.
“Man it would be great, man. I’ve been talking to Tyler Shough since this process started,” Bell told Arye Pulli for Saints on SI. “He said he’s been telling the Saints about me, he hope they get me. He said they need somebody like me so it would be great to reunite with Tyler Shough.”
Bell added that he’s been cleared to begin running on his surgically-repaired knee next week, and his goal is tot be ready for training camp in July for whichever team drafts him. Maybe that’s the Saints. He’s a big target at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, with obvious playmaking ability — last season he caught 72 passes for 917 yards and six touchdowns. If he can get healthy and pick up where he left off as a physical target who can win on passes deep downfield, he could be a big pickup for New Orleans.
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