The New England Patriots made some great moves in the 2024 NFL Draft, but one of their most underrated players could be seventh-round tight end Jaheim Bell. Bell started his college career at South Carolina before transferring to Florida State. He was a great weapon in a pretty loaded FSU offense. At six-foot-two inches, 240 pounds, he is a nightmare to tackle. Not to mention he ran a 4.61 in the forty-yard dash. With that size and speed combination, he could be an incredible weapon waiting to be unlocked in Foxborough.
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The Patriots have lacked explosiveness and weapons on the offensive side of the ball for years. The addition of other receivers such as Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker will allow Jaheim Bell to grow and develop with the rebuilding Patriots. Bell could be used in a variety of ways, such as screen passes, jet sweeps, and even crossing patterns. With Bell’s versatility, the Foxborough Faithful could witness the birth of a star. Adding weapons to the offense was the main priority this off-season, and Vice President of Player Personnel, Eliot Wolf did just that by securing Bell.
Many people predicted Bell would go in the fourth or fifth round of the Draft, but Wolf was able to get him in the seventh round. This is an absolute steal, and will most likely give Bell a chip on his shoulder, wanting to prove to the whole league why he should’ve gone sooner. This type of mentality is exactly what is needed in New England at the moment. Many people are already counting the 2024 Patriots out, but with the addition of so many new players, and versatile athletes such as Bell, fans could see a better season than they thought possible.
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The question remains, how could offensive coordinator, Alex Van Pelt, get Bell involved for his rookie season? Bell could become the Patriots’ ultimate gadget player. Being able to move around the formation, as a tight end, running back, or maybe even a big slot receiver on certain plays, will be very valuable for an offense in need of a spark. Van Pelt could also scheme up specific plays like screens for Bell, as mentioned earlier. The fact that a seventh-round pick has the potential to have a big impact in year one, is truly exciting.
How will Bell fit into the Patriots offense among other weapons?
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Eliot Wolf added a few different weapons on offense during the off-season. With a receiving group that consists of Kendrick Bourne, Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker, DeMario Douglas, and K.J. Osborn, how could Bell fit in? Rotating Bell into different receiving groups could be beneficial in different ways. For example, DeMario Douglas is also considered a gadget player, and having him on the field with Bell could create some matchup nightmares for opposing defenses. Now if Van Pelt wants a big receiver group, he could have Bell on the field with Javon Baker, which could give the Patriots some serious size going against smaller corners. Overall, if the Patriots hope to create a more dangerous offense in 2024, they will do what it takes to get Jaheim Bell the ball at least a couple of times each game.