(This story was updated to add new information.)
Cincinnati Bengals safety Vonn Bell has a back injury that now clouds his availability for the Week 3 game against the Washington Commanders.
Bell left practice on Thursday with what the team described as a back injury, according to Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network.
Friday, Bell was the only player downgraded on the injury report to a DNP as he didn’t make an appearance.
Since returning after one season away, Bell has been a key part of the defense. Over the first two games, he played 99 percent of the possible snaps.
If Bell is out, those looks will most likely go to Jordan Battle, who has had a hard time breaking onto the field in pretty much any capacity this season.
Given that Bell’s major strength, as explained by coordinator Lou Anarumo, is to fix the communication issues that hurt the unit last year, it will be interesting to see if the remade group can function well without him against a Commanders team that will want to run the ball early and often.
Update: Bell is listed as questionable on the final injury report.
