Dolphins activate rookie WR Chris Bell from non-football injury list, returns to practice

The Miami Dolphins opened Week 2 of the 2026 NFL preseason by activating rookie wide receiver Chris Bell from the non-football injury list. Bell has been working his way back from a torn ACL he suffered in November while playing at Louisville. The move matters because NFL teams cannot fully evaluate a player’s practice and conditioning when he is sidelined on the non-football injury list, even if he is allowed to complete some rehabilitation work.

According to the Dolphins’ preseason practice updates, Bell had been limited to rehab rather than full practice participation while on the NFI list. His practice debut came Monday, and he was wearing a red, no-contact jersey. That jersey designation typically indicates the player is participating in portions of practice without live contact, a common step for returning players coming off serious knee injuries.

Bell’s return also gives Miami an additional look at depth in its passing group during a stretch when preseason reps are used to sort out roles and complementary matchups. For a rookie, the early weeks of camp and the early preseason period often shape how a team plans end-of-roster opportunities, special-teams usage, and situational receiving packages if the player shows the ability to absorb playbook expectations.

The Dolphins’ practice update also noted that Kyle Louis, a player involved on defense, added safety work during practice. While the report did not detail specific snap counts or role changes, cross-training at the defensive back positions is a practical way for teams to test versatility, especially in preseason when coaching staffs evaluate who can fit multiple coverages and responsibilities.

In addition, the team provided an injury update involving Jonah Savaiinaea. The report indicates that the Dolphins shared status information as part of their Week 2 preseason notes, but it did not provide further specifics in the available summary. As with many interior line and edge rotation players, an injury can influence how extensively a team uses its starters and how it balances rep distribution among the depth group.

Bell’s activation is the most concrete roster-development item in the update because it involves a formal status change from the NFI list to active practice participation under non-contact conditions. The next steps will likely involve whether he can progress from no-contact work to wider participation, and whether the Dolphins feel comfortable increasing his workload as the preseason continues.

For Miami, the immediate storyline is simple: getting a developmental receiver back to the field at a time when preseason practices and games remain the clearest runway to evaluate readiness. Bell’s knee recovery timeline and how smoothly he handles progression will shape both his availability for the remainder of the preseason and the extent to which the Dolphins can rely on him as they prepare their regular-season roster decisions.