The Kansas City Chiefs are re-signing another of their own free agents.
According to NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport, the Chiefs are set to re-sign TE Blake Bell on a one-year deal. This move will help Kansas City retain virtually every player from their 2022 tight end room.
Bell enters his fourth season in Kansas City. He first joined the team in 2019 for the Super Bowl LIV run before leaving to play in Dallas for a year. He returned to Kansas City for both the 2021 and 2022 NFL seasons.
The #Chiefs are re-signing TE Blake Bell to a 1-year contract, source said. This is his fourth season with KC.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 24, 2023
The veteran tight end began the 2022 NFL season on injured reserve after he suffered a hip flexor injury during the preseason tilt with the Chicago Bears. He was eventually designated to return, but he had a fairly limited role outside of his Week 17 touchdown. When Jody Fortson returned from injured reserve during the playoffs, he promptly supplanted Bell in the active lineup.
That said, Bell certainly has a role in Kansas City. He’s been the player that they’ve used in lieu of Patrick Mahomes on QB sneaks. He remains one of the Chiefs’ best blocking tight ends as well.
With an increase in usage of 12 and 13 personnel last season, it’s not a surprise to see Bell back on what likely amounts to a veteran minimum deal. He’ll prove to be valuable depth during the course of the off-season and perhaps during the 2023 NFL season as well.
