Read the full transcript from WR Chris Bell's media availability on August 18, 2026.

How did it feel to finally be back out there?

Chris Bell: It felt great. I haven't played football in a little minute, so my first practice, I was a little nervous, but I'm just out there getting my feet wet, getting back to the swing of things.

Is the toughest part just feeling confident in the knee again?

Chris Bell: No, I feel very confident. I would say the toughest part is just getting adapted to the NFL,  these hot practices and just playing in NFL .

You talk about wasting no time, hitting the ground running back in practice. But you feel like you're getting acclimated?

Chris Bell: Yes, sir. Yes sir, I do.

How do you feel physically in terms of running, cutting? All those things. How does it feel?

Chris Bell: I feel pretty good. Like I said, I haven't played football in a little minute. Just getting back out there, to be able to run and cut and things like that, it feels pretty good. The thing that I'm just mostly focused on now is just getting back into football shape.

It seems like the toughest part was standing around during all the early stuff?

Chris Bell: Yeah, it was. I'm just happy to be out there, man. I've been standing on the sideline, couldn't get inside the line. It just feels good to be back out there with my brothers and getting ready to play football.

Jonah said that one of the most impressive things was that even though you weren't practicing, you were ready to go. Tell me about that mindset?

Chris Bell: I feel like even when you're not practicing, you always got to take mental reps. My thing was even though I'm not on the field, I study my position, study my spot and just try to process the play in my head, because they used to give me a little mic so I used to hear the play call in the huddle and just try to do those things to stay focused and get the mental reps.

Obviously watching what Caleb Douglas did this past weekend, getting in there with the ones, the one-handed catch. Did you see that and think, hey, there's a potential role here for young guys, it's not just lip service that you could carve out your spot?

Chris Bell: Yeah, I definitely feel like the rookies have been doing a great job. I ain't going to lie. Every time I see Caleb make a play, I'm just like, man, I'm so happy for you, bro. Just to see him out there putting on in the NFL, how he did in college, bro, I just be smiling at him. You could ask him every time he came on the sideline during the Washington game. I was like, man, I'm happy for you, man. I'm just excited to see what we do this year.

What do you think can be the potential of not only you two, but also Kevin Coleman Jr. as a rookie wide receiver trio?

Chris Bell: I feel like we got a good receiver room, a great receiver room. The young guys are coming along, right with the vets. I would say we got a good chance to be something special, so y'all just wait and see.

What did Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley tell you about their planned timeline for your return? And what did they tell you about just being patient in this recovery process?

Chris Bell: Yeah, there's really no timeline. Every time they come up to me, they just say be honest with how you feel, let me know if you feel a little off today or you feel good this day. We don't really want to put a timeline on it. We just want to keep getting better each and every day and see how it is from there.

Is that tough to I mean, as a competitor and football player, of course you want to be back on the field. But is it tough to admit those days where it's like, hey, this is I got to take it easy here?

Chris Bell: Yeah, but at the same time, no, because I would say you're going to have days like that. After coming off an injury, it's all about how it's a mental game at this point. When you're coming back from an injury, I got to think that my knee is good now. I just got to learn how to push through a little soreness and things like that, so I wouldn't say it's tough.

I saw a Louisville highlight where you were playing a game at Kentucky and you helped a teammate break a long run with a key block. What was your approach on that play?

Chris Bell: I would say my mindset was just make this play for my teammate. I'm always a team-first player. I feel like I'm an all-around receiver. I do good in the pass game and in the run game. I take pride in blocking just like I take pride in catching, so that's something that on that play I took pride in.

The last time that you kind of stepped foot on that field [at Hard Rock Stadium] kind of dominated, right? So what will it mean for you the next time you step on the field?

Chris Bell: First, I want to say it's just crazy how I had a good game in that stadium. And then spring break was here and I was out here, and I was just like, 'man, what if I get drafted to the Dolphins?' And it happened. It's going to be very special, I'm not going to lie. I love playing on that field and the environment and just that feeling when you're inside that stadium. So I can't wait to play on that field.

Would you prefer to play in a preseason game before starting the regular season?

Chris Bell: Whatever the coaches got planned for me, that's what I'm going to do. That's all I would say.

Over the last eight or nine months or so of rehab, is there something you learned about yourself, whether it's professional or personal, over that process?

Chris Bell: I would say I learned that I'm very impatient, kind of; I would say that because as a player like me just wanting to get back on the field and just wanting to show the people who I am and what I got, after coming back from an injury like this, you got to be patient. You can't rush it. So I learned how to be patient. At first I was like, 'I need to be doing this. I need to be doing that.' But now it's a time thing. I'm taking my time.

How much are you thinking about the Raider game. Or is that too soon, do you think for you to come back?

Chris Bell: How much am I thinking about it?

Like in terms of being able to play or is that out of the question, do you think?

Chris Bell: Like I said, I'm just waiting, taking it day by day, not putting a time frame on it and just trusting my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and trusting the coaches and the training staff and the plan they got for me.

I couldn't help but notice, but Malik Willis takes your reps. You always take reps with Malik on the individual stuff. How's your connection been with him? Have you noticed that, that he always wants to spin when it's your rep?

Chris Bell: I feel like our connection is coming along. I just got back out there, so I can't say we got a connection yet on the field, but it takes time. We just got to get on the right page and things like that. Off the field, he always checking on me. Like when I sit beside him in the meeting room or in the team meeting room, 'You good? How your knee feeling,' and things like that. So I can say he's a pretty good leader and a pretty good quarterback.

What have you noticed about Malik Willis as a passer? It looks like that ball's got some heat on it.

Chris Bell: He's an athlete, man. Just the way he throws the ball and different angles and how he throw the ball across his body. Like that one pass he just threw to Malik Washington out there, he just be doing crazy stuff every day. And I be like, 'man,' but he can run with it too and throw with it. He's a very special quarterback. I can't wait to play with him this year.

Is the next step to be cleared for tackling or are you actually already cleared to be tackled?

Chris Bell: Yeah, that's the next step to be cleared. Yes.

You're pretty physically imposing for a wide receiver. How do you use that physicality to your advantage when you play?

Chris Bell: I just know a lot of DBs are smaller than me. They got long arms, but I know my size. Me being a big body receiver, a lot of people can't handle that, so I use my size to my advantage.