After the Miami Dolphins signed free agent quarterback Malik Willis to a three-year, $67 million contract, the team made the controversial move of trading star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos.
While the Dolphins got a strong return for Waddle, as they received a first-round pick, the move was questioned as it left Willis without a clear No. 1 wide receiver. Since the trade was finalized, the Dolphins have addressed the position in both free agency and the draft, but questions still remain.
Malik Willis Sends Strong Message on Miami Dolphins Rookie Receiver
The Miami Dolphins did not select a wide receiver in the first two rounds, but then added two wide receivers in the third round.The second of those selections, Chris Bell, recently received glowing comments from quarterback Malik Willis.
Regarding Bell, Willis said, “I mean, look at his tape, it’s insane. But I’ve just got to get them back healthy and we can take it one day at a time.”
Bell fell to the third-round as a result of him suffering a late-season ACL tear. He was initially projected to be selected in the first two rounds and has drawn comparisons to A.J. Brown.
Regarding Bell, Dolphins Wire’s Mike Masala wrote:
“Miami needs someone to step up at wide receiver, with the room filled with fringe starters and inexperienced youngsters. If Bell can return to form during his rookie season, there’s a chance that he ends up as the top guy on the team’s depth chart.
Regarding the state of the Dolphins wide receiver room, Miami Herald’s Omar Kelly wrote:
“The worst thing about Miami’s watered-down roster heading into this season is the fact that there aren’t any proven playmaking receivers on it, and it’s doubtful that reinforcements are coming. That means the Dolphins are hopeful that one of the minimum-alary veterans — Tutu Atwell, Jalen Tolbert and Malik Washington — or one of the rookies — Caleb Douglas, Kevin Coleman Jr., or Chris Bell, who is rehabbing a knee injury he suffered in late November — becomes an alpha receiver who can carry the passing game on his shoulders. If nobody steps up Willis is going to have a long, and possibly painful season.”
Chris Bell Prospect Profile
Out of the wide receivers on the Dolphins roster, Bell may be the most intriguing. He has the physical skill set to become a dominant receiver in this offense.
Regarding Bell, The Ringer’s Todd McShay, who ranked him as the 55th-best player in the draft, wrote:
“Bell is a physically gifted, big-play receiver whose traits and flashes of production contrast sharply with his rawness and inconsistency, making him a true boom-or-bust prospect. A four-year player at Louisville, he showed steady statistical growth, culminating in 917 yards in just 11 games in 2025 before a late-season ACL tear (which clouds his availability for the start of his rookie year).
At his best, Bell looks the part: He’s got a strong build, big hands, impressive body control, and real run-after-the-catch explosiveness with a noticeable second gear. He catches cleanly and transitions smoothly upfield, showing strength through contact and the ability to create chunk plays. His hands improved in 2025 (just three drops), though his contested-catch success (50 percent) doesn’t fully match his physical profile.”
