Cleveland Browns training camp day 10: David Bell happy to be back on the field

BEREA – David Bell may have been two weeks behind the rest of his Browns teammates in terms of practice time. The rookie receiver, though, is taking a better-late-than-never attitude.

"It feels phenomenal to be back, to be back on the field with the players most importantly now," Bell said before Sunday's training camp practice. "Being able to finally be out there and be in the offense and being able to run the routes so I can be more familiar with it. Being out was tough. Coming in as a rookie, that's something that you definitely don't want to happen is an injury right off the bat. Working with the training staff and coaches, they all worked with me to get me back to the best of my abilities."

The third-round pick out of Purdue had his first practice reps of the season Saturday, two weeks after the rest of the Browns rookies got on the field. Bell was placed on the active/physically unable to perform list with a foot injury on July 22, the day rookies reported for camp.

Bell, who was activated from the list Saturday morning, said the injury was a stress reaction. He compared it almost like a stress fracture, with a "small little crack in the bone."

The news of the injury was a surprise to many, considering the showing Bell had during the offseason program and minicamp. Then again, the injury was a surprise to Bell himself, who believes it may have occurred sometime around minicamp in June.

"I'm honestly not sure," Bell said of the timeline for the injury. "I just really woke up one day and it was just aching a little bit, so just went here. I had to get an X-ray, and the X-ray just showed what happened. We got a plan together to just get back as soon as possible. It was frustrating because I just wanted to be out there showing what I could do. It's God's plan on God's time, so I'm out here right now and that's what I'm looking forward to."

Bell said he feels confident in the foot despite not knowing the specifics of when or how the injury occurred. What he's tried to do, instead, is focus on getting himself back up to speed as quickly as he can.

To do that, Bell spent a lot of time after practice working with Browns third-string quarterback Joshua Dobbs. That work has allowed him to not fall too far behind the rest of his teammates, at least the rookie ones.

"I’ve been doing a lot of off-the-field stuff as far as being in the playbook and staying after with Dobbs," Bell said. "So I think once I get in there, there are going to be a few mistakes, but I don’t really plan on having many. But once I really get going, I plan on being able to go full force."

Third-string quarterback Josh Dobbs shines in two-minute drill

Sunday was the first time in camp the Browns practiced their two-minute drill. The first-, second- and third-team offenses each had 1:10 to go 75 yards while facing a certain deficit on the scoreboard.

The only time the offense scored a touchdown came with the third-team offense, led by quarterback Josh Dobbs. Dobbs connected on a 38-yard touchdown pass to tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden, plus a two-point pass to receiver Mike Harley Jr., to erase an eight-point deficit.

Both the first- and second-team offenses were able to get what were game-tying Cade York field goals in their opportunities. York kicked a 35-yarder with the Jacoby Brissett-led second-team offense, which was facing the first-team defense, while he booted a 33-yarder for the Deshaun Watson-led first-team offense against the second-team defense.

Not getting too Greedy with Williams' practice reps

Kareem Hunt's two-day strike from participating in team drills on Friday and Saturday had its roots in a contract dispute. Greedy Williams has also been limited in his participation in team drills over recent days, although that has nothing to do with any kind of dispute.

Williams, who has battled injuries throughout his four-year NFL career, was part of the team drills Sunday. Coach Kevin Stefanski was not too concerned with his cornerback.

“He is doing fine," Stefanski said. "Being careful with him. I would not call him injured. He is getting plenty of reps.”

Williams played in a career-high 16 games a year ago after having missed the 2020 season with a shoulder injury. He had two interceptions, one forced fumble and 41 tackles.

Cade York gets the hero's reception with practice-ender

Nothing will get a kicker on his teammate's good side quite like making a really big kick. In the midst of camp, those kind of kicks can include ones that get the entire team out of meetings.

York did just that to wrap up Sunday's 1-hour, 40-minute practice on a steamy afternoon during which the "real feel" on the field was 98 degrees. He knocked through a 45-yard field goal from the left hash to allow the rest of his teammates to avoid any post-practice meetings.

York was hoisted onto the shoulders of several of his teammates after he made the kick. Earlier in practice, he had missed just his second field goal in a team setting of training camp, making him 22-of-24 for the first 10 days.

Before practice, York spoke to the media and talked about his preference in which hash mark he wants to kick from. To him, it's an irrelevant question.

“I think if you start building a preference on which hash, than the other hash becomes scary," York said. "So I’m just going to act like they’re all the same.”

Contact Chris at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com.

On Twitter: @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: David Bell glad to be back on field at Cleveland Browns training camp