The New Orleans Saints drafting Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell would mean reuniting him with his former collegiate quarterback, Tyler Shough. Ironically, that would make Bell the second former Shough teammate on the offense along with Juwan Johnson. Per Bell, it’s a reunion Shough is pushing for. It's also one Bell would be down for.
During the NFL Scouting Combine, Bell said Shough is telling the Saints brass about him. The receiver also added that Shough believes he’s the type of receiver the Saints need. It's hard to argue with the premise. Bell brings physicality to the position and is also a strong runner with the ball in his hands. Check and check
Bell is currently recovering from a torn ACL he suffered at the end of last season. He suffered injury in end of November. Bell’s message about the injury: Don't let this injury fool you," Bell said Friday during his Combine media interview session when asked what his message to teams has been regarding his injury. "I'm still that dog. I'm still that guy. I'm still that beast that you see on the field. Just give me time, and I'll be back right."
Tyler Shough + Chris Bell= instant impact for the Saints passing attack
Chris Bell isn’t at play in the first round for the Saints, but he makes a lot of sense as a second round selection. As far as rookie receivers go, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say he could have the quickest impact, health withstanding. Injury is the biggest deterrent to a quick impact, and Bell hopes to be back by training camp.
Shough instantly had a connection with Johnson that paid dividends. The tight end was a go to target, and Shough brought out the best version of Johnson that we've seen so far. Those two spent a season together at Oregon, but Shough wasn't even the starter.
Shough and Bell only spent a year together in college, and Bell saw his breakout season in that 2024 campaign. Johnson only caught some passes from Shough in practices. Bell spent a year with Shough as a primary target. That should give the duo an even stronger connection.
With other rookies, there could be a figuring out process that simply won't exist for Bell. The chemistry is unlikely to have eroded in a year apart. Bell would give the Saints a potentially impact player. Pairing him with Shough opens Bell up for instant success. This is a pairing that makes too much sense to pass up.