Chiefs add tight end depth with signing of free agent and Wichita native Blake Bell
The Belldozer is coming to Kansas City.
The Chiefs have signed free agent tight end Blake Bell, sources confirmed to The Star on Tuesday afternoon.
Bell, a Wichita native and Bishop Carroll High School product, is known for his physicality and straight-ahead running style, earning him the Belldozer nickname.
Bell, 27, was a fourth-round pick by San Francisco in 2015. He spent two years with the San Francisco 49ers before one-year stints with the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Bell saw action in 10 games for Jacksonville last season, starting four of them. Signed on Oct. 16 after injuries to the Jaguars’ top two tight ends, Bell finished the season with eight catches for 67 yards. Though he hasn’t scored an NFL touchdown, Bell has 30 receptions for 357 yards over 50 games in his four-year career.
After losing the starting quarterback job to Trevor Knight during the 2013 season while at Oklahoma, Bell switched to tight end for his senior season and has stayed at the position ever since.
He’s best in short-yardage and red zone situations, and could be a good replacement for tight end Demetrius Harris, who departed for Cleveland in free agency.