Despite tearing his ACL nearly five months ago, former Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell has been getting a ton of attention from the New Orleans Saints. Bell was Tyler Shough's teammate at Louisville, and both players have expressed interest in a reunion. In Bell's case, he has made it clear where he stands a couple of times.
Bell had Saints brass watching nearly every step he's been taking this offseason and recently met with the team on a top-30 visit. He also went out to dinner with coaches and his former teammates Tyler Shough and Quincy Riley. "After the dinner, we ended up going to Tyler's house and were just chilling and stuff like that," Bell said at his pro day. "He (Tyler Shough) told me that he wants me so bad that he's been pushing my name. So hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, I get there."
An elite wide receiver who already had a career year in his shortened season, it helps Bell's draft stock that he has his former quarterback advocating for him behind the scenes. However, one thing that might prevent the seemingly made-in-heaven match is the fact that the Saints aren't the only teams interested in Bell's services.
There's a few obstacles for a Tyler Shough-Chris Bell reunion with the Saints
New Orleans isn't the only city that Chris Bell has been to for a visit. According to the player himself, he has also visited or plans to meet with the Buffalo Bills, the Cleveland Browns, and the Philadelphia Eagles. Paired with the fact that he's expected to be ready for training camp, his draft stock has been on the rise. That's not good news for the Saints.
A few months ago, Bell very well could've been available with their second-round pick. Now, it appears that the team will be lucky if Bell is still on the board at 42. Recent rumors suggest that Buffalo, Denver, or New England could take him late in the first round. Some people on social media have even started talking about the idea of trading up for the wide receiver.
There's no true consensus on Bell, however. ESPN released a mock draft where they had four experts alternating picks, and Bell ended up falling all the way to the third round. He didn't fall far into it, though, and was selected by the Saints at 73 overall.
Whether it's in the first, second, or third round, the other teams Bell has visited with could grab him before the Saints even get the chance. If the Saints really do want Shough's former teammate, they might have to prepare to trade up.
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