Tight end Blake Bell will officially be one-and-done in his tenure with the Kansas City Chiefs after signing a deal with the Dallas Cowboys.
The Dallas Cowboys have officially remade the pecking order at tight end this offseason with the loss of Jason Witten in free agency to the Las Vegas Raiders and the addition of free agent Blake Bell to the roster. Todd Archer of ESPN reports the Cowboys signed Bell, formerly of the Kansas City Chiefs, on Wednesday.
Bell was a member of the Chiefs roster for a single season after being signed in free agency last year by general manager Brett Veach. Bell took the place of longtime TE2 Demetrius Harris, who left for the Cleveland Browns. Bell staved off competition for his role from younger players like Deon Yelder, Nick Keizer and more.
Last season, Bell played in 15 games for the Chiefs and was targeted an average of once per game, making 8 catches for 67 yards in an offense that rarely features a second tight end behind All-Pro Travis Kelce. Now the Chiefs are likely ready to move on with Yelder, who was brought back as a restricted free agent, in the second tight end role. Keizer also remains on the roster.
Bell now will back up promising young tight end Blake Jarwin, who was signed to a mammoth contract of four years at $22 million earlier this offseason by Jerry Jones. Bell first entered the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers as their fourth round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. He lasted two seasons in San Fran before he was claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Vikings and later the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Cowboys are the fifth NFL team for Bell, who turns 29 in August.