MIAMI GARDENS ― Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell came in motion, targeted a Kentucky defensive back and blasted him to the ground, springing teammate Isaac Brown for a 67-yard touchdown. The Cardinals blew out their rival Wildcats in November of 2024, and Bell, a dynamic receiver, was celebrated not just for his 84 receiving yards, but for the impressive, key block. Bell, who has made his debut for the Miami Dolphins, recounted the play after a recent practice. "I would say my mindset was just, you know, make this play for my teammate," Bell said. "You know, I'm always a team-first player. You know, I feel like I'm going to always an all-around receiver. You know, I do good in a pass game and in a run game. You know, I take pride in blocking just like I take pride in catching, so that's something that on that play I took pride in."
Look at Chris Bell throw a block on this touchdown run VIDEO pic.twitter.com/qoIY5AVNNA — Joe Schad (@schadjoe) August 18, 2026 Bell is 6-foot-2, 220 pounds. He is the heaviest of 12 Dolphins receivers and very likely the strongest. Bell's sturdy and muscular frame has drawn comparisons to DK Metcalf, A.J. Brown and Deebo Samuel. Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley recently noted that it is a pet peeve when his cornerbacks do not shed blocks in order to support their teammates in the run game.
Similarly, Hafley demands his wide receivers help in the run game. "Yeah, I mean, those our receivers gonna block," Hafley said. "No block, no rock. How about that one? No, I've heard Matt (LaFleur) say it a few times before and Kyle (Shanahan)." Hafley got worked up when a reporter suggested some receivers don't like to block. "How are you not going to block for the running back, right?" Hafley said. "I mean, that's just to me, that's part of team. It's just you better care about that guy, and you better block down the field, or if another wide receiver catches the ball, you better turn, flip, and find, and go block a guy because you're going to want the same thing to happen when you catch the ball, right? You want everybody to block for you. It's a team game, so I think you teach that, and you get guys who buy in, and we have." Fellow Dolphins receiver Caleb Douglas has also shown a willingness to block, which bodes well. "I would say we got a good chance to be something special, so y'all just wait and see," Bell said. Chris Bell: Miami Dolphins rookie WR activated in huge decision Training camp observations: Day 13, Malik Willis uneven Miami Dolphins training camp mailbag: Malik Willis or draft a new QB? Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins' Chris Bell can make impact in run game with big blocks