Feb. 28, 2026, 4:55 a.m. CT
For two straight years, the New Orleans Saints have been stripped down to the bare bones at wide receiver by the end of the season. Chris Olave had a strong bounce back year, but Rashid Shaheed (traded) and Brandin Cooks (released) were gone by mid-season. Mason Tipton finished the year on injured reserve, while Trey Palmer and Ja’Lynn Polk never made it off the injured list.
Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough had an impressive debut. However, he was mostly throwing to practice squad players and emergency waiver wire additions by the end of the year. One of those players is the subject of this year-end recap.
Ronnie Bell Year in ReviewPosition: Wide receiverAge: 26Height: 6-feetWeight: 190 poundsNFL experience: 3 years (1st with Saints)2025 season: 2 games
After a 62-catch and 889 yards in 2022 for the Michigan Wolverines, Bell was a seventh round choice by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2023 NFL draft. Bell made the 49ers as a rookie, appearing in all 17 games but catching just 6 passes for 68 yards with 3 touchdowns. The following year, Bell played in nine contests with 2 receptions and 22 yards. Over those two seasons and 26 games as a 49er, Bell had 296 snaps on offense and another 125 on special teams.
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Released by San Francisco before the end of the 2024 campaign, Bell was signed to a reserve/future contract by the Detroit Lions after that season. Detroit released him at the end of the preseason, but he was brought back for one month as a member of their practice squad before being released again. The Saints then brought him on to their practice squad in early October.
Bell remained on the New Orleans practice squad until a thin depth chart forced his activation onto the active roster for a Week 17 game against the Tennessee Titans. He played both of the final two games, getting 2 offensive snaps against the Titans and 36 against Atlanta in the season finale. Bell pulled in 2 receptions against the Falcons for 23 yards, including a 16-yard one-handed touchdown pass from Shough.
Olave will return for the Saints in 2026 as a key figure in the offense. Additionally, Polk and Palmer are also expected to have roles, along with Tipton fighting for a potential roster spot. The Saints are also predicted to add a wideout early in the draft and are likely to add more in free agency. Bell may have a chance for a roster spot, but doesn’t look like he fits into the long-term plans for New Orleans.