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The Green Bay Packers have apparently added some competition along the offensive line. On Tuesday, free-agent lineman Byron Bell announced on Instagram that he had reached a deal with the team.
The 6-foot-5, 340-pound Bell arrived in the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of New Mexico in 2011, originally signing with the Carolina Panthers. He played his most recent seasons with the Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys, sitting out all of 2016 with a dislocated ankle.
How the Packers plan to use Bell remains unclear. However, the veteran could compete for either the team’s vacancy at right guard or potentially as a stand-in for still-injured right tackle Bryan Bulaga. In either case, Bell will face healthy competition from players with multiple years of experience and those more recently acquired by Green Bay.
With Bell on board, the Packers need to make a corresponding move to meet the 90-man roster limit. They spent much of the post-draft period with an open spot but filled it last week with the signing of tight end Marcedes Lewis.
In Bell’s seven-year career, he has appeared in 90 total games including 74 starts. He has played at both tackle spots as well as guard.