- May 21, 2026
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Dolphins rookie wide receiver Chris Bell missed all of the offseason and much of the summer while recovering from a torn ACL he suffered at Louisville last year, but he is still set to start against the Raiders this weekend.
Head coach Jeff Hafley confirmed that Bell will join fellow rookie Caleb Douglas on the field with the first team in Week 1. Hafley said that there will not be any limitations on the number of snaps that Bell plays in his NFL debut and that the team is starting both third-round picks because they feel they have earned the jobs rather than a desire to prioritize development over competing to win.
"We believe those guys deserve to start, and we’re gonna start them," Hafley said at a press conference. "We’ll find out what we need to work on, how we need to develop ‘em with winning as a priority.”
While Hafley said they're prioritizing winning, he also said last month that the team's won-loss record won't determine whether this is a successful season. Hafley cited development as the key at that point and the two wideouts will be at the top of the list of players that the Dolphins would like to see become part of the foundation for the future.
Head coach Jeff Hafley confirmed that Bell will join fellow rookie Caleb Douglas on the field with the first team in Week 1. Hafley said that there will not be any limitations on the number of snaps that Bell plays in his NFL debut and that the team is starting both third-round picks because they feel they have earned the jobs rather than a desire to prioritize development over competing to win.
"We believe those guys deserve to start, and we’re gonna start them," Hafley said at a press conference. "We’ll find out what we need to work on, how we need to develop ‘em with winning as a priority.”
While Hafley said they're prioritizing winning, he also said last month that the team's won-loss record won't determine whether this is a successful season. Hafley cited development as the key at that point and the two wideouts will be at the top of the list of players that the Dolphins would like to see become part of the foundation for the future.