Jaheim Bell is looking to make an impact heading into his second season with the Patriots.
In 2024, Bell was a seventh-round draft pick out of Florida State, where he was a versatile weapon as a tight end lining up all over the field and playing all of the skill positions on offense.
Over his last two collegiate seasons playing for South Carolina in 2022 and then for Florida State in 2023, Bell established himself as an elite athlete as a tight end that can do it all for an offense and is on the field more often than not.
At South Carolina in 2022, Bell made 25 receptions for 231 yards and scored two touchdowns while he also had 73 carries for 261 yards and scored three touchdowns.
The following year, Florida State didn’t use him as a running back the way South Carolina did the year prior. But Bell was still able to showcase himself as a weapon in an offense that used him in a variety of ways, lining him up all over the field as a versatile receiving option.
He finished with 39 receptions for 503 yards at 12.9 yards per reception and two touchdowns in 2023 with Florida State. Bell logged 128 in-line snaps and 132 snaps in the slot.
Bell, who proved to be a versatile weapon, also had a great showing at the NFL Combine, finishing as a top tight end in the class. He ran the 40-Yard-Dash in 4.61-seconds and had a production score of 75, which ranked fourth-best for tight ends.
Last season as a rookie, Bell had a limited role with New England behind two veterans in starter Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper. He was on the field quite a bit throughout the season, but he didn’t see many targets go his way.
Bell was on the field in every game from Week 6 to the end of the season. He logged 40 passing plays, running 34 total routes, and only saw three targets, making two receptions for 20 yards as a rookie last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
The rookie logged 83 snaps on offense (9%) and 176 on special teams (46%). As the season went on, Bell became more acclimated to the NFL game and with the Patriots, which was “eye-opening” as Henry said.
“He’s been great in the room. He’s learning a ton, asks great questions. We love having him in the room. He’s a tremendous talent that we feel like we need to get going in some capacity and he’s starting to show up on the field, show up in good ways. Be consistent, that’s all you can ask for, for him right now. He’s just continuing to get better.”
Bell saw most of his action on special teams, but he made his impact on offense when he had the opportunity to. He was on the field as the third tight end for blocking roles and was utilized as an H-back, sliding into a fullback role and blocking out of the backfield.
Heading into his second year, Bell needs to show the new coaching staff what he can bring to the table, specifically head coach Mike Vrabel, who has already been seen working with Bell during OTAs in a special teams period of the practice.
With a more sophisticated and organized offensive system with Josh McDaniels returning as offensive coordinator, he’s known for getting production from multiple tight ends involved in his offenses.
Bell has the opportunity to showcase himself as the tight end of the future for the Patriots, with Henry and Hooper both being 31 years old. Bell, who’s a young and elite athlete, could thrive in a McDaniels offense with the right practice.
New England had plenty of opportunities to add a tight end in the 2025 NFL Draft, but they didn’t, with the idea of already having Bell as depth behind the two veterans. They did add two after the draft as undrafted rookies with CJ Dipree and Gee Scott Jr.
Bell, however, is more athletic and versatile than Dipree or Scott Jr., and is in a great position to learn from two great veterans with Henry and Hooper as he puts another year under his belt with New England.
It’s worth noting that during Monday’s OTA session, Bell only made one catch on four targets, according to Brian Hines of Pats Pulpit, who said that Bell had multiple drops during the outing.
Considered a sleeper in the 2024 NFL Draft, Bell is poised to thrive in his second year with McDaniels running the offense. I predict McDaniels will design plays specifically for Bell this season to get him more involved in the offense.