Saints could reunite Tyler Shough and Chris Bell this Round 2

By Ross Jackson

If wide receiver remains an area the New Orleans Saints look to address come the second round of the NFL Draft, reuniting former Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough with a familiar face could be a successful investment. 

Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell was one of the top wide receivers leading into the end of the college football season. Unfortunately, some of his momentum stalled after a late-season ACL injury ended his stellar year two early. 

The wideout had tallied 72 receptions for 917 receiving yards and six touchdown catches. He was averaging 83.4 receiving yards per game over his 11 appearances. 

Despite not being able to participate during the NFL Combine, Bell took the podium and meetings with teams while in attendance in Indianapolis. During his time at the podium with media, he provided an update on his injury recovery and timeline. 

“Dr. (Dan) Cooper said I’ll be potentially returning by training camp,” he said. “But I’m taking it day-by-day and I want to progress faster than that.”

That’s a promising timeline for the athletic wideout. His ACL tear took place on Nov. 22. With a potential return for training camp, that puts his process at just eight months.

While that may be a bit optimistic, even getting Bell back within the first few weeks of the season would be a success, considering the need for conditioning beyond the injury recovery. 

This makes a second-round investment a worthwhile one if the Saints would like to bring Bell and Shough back together. It’s an opportunity that the tandem have apparently been discussing. 

Louisville WR Chris Bell on his communications with former Cards QB/current Saints QB Tyler Shough pic.twitter.com/oHTJsDTp55

— Haley Schoengart (@HaleyPaige7) February 27, 2026

If Shough is indeed telling the Saints about Bell, that may be a driving force behind a potential pursuit of the explosive receiver. The next step would be to get him in the building for a Top-30 visit as a means of getting a check-in with the team’s own medical staff in order to best understand his recovery. 

If the Saints go that route and Dr. Cooper’s timeline aligns, he’d be well worth consideration early in Day Two. His ability after the catch and as a strong, physical wideout would add a new layer and distinct elite skills that the Saints’ receiver room doesn’t currently possess. 

Chris Bell is worth the wait. He should come off the board in round 2. The injury just provides some team a discount. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/G6Q4Z4esA5

— Ray G (@RayGQue) February 22, 2026

Bell did share that he begins to run again next week. It’s unlikely that will equate to the wideout being able to participate in pro days or any pre-draft testing. Therefore, visits will be very important to his process.