After watching him on Saturday night against the Denver Broncos, Ronnie Bell looks like he'll fit in perfectly with the San Francisco 49ers receivers. The rookie was the game's leading receiver, racking up 114 yards from seven catches. According to Pro Football Focus, 74 of those yards came after the catch.
He might give Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk a run for their money when it comes to YAC.
"It's something I've always prided myself on," Bell said after the game. "Last year, I wasn't very pleased with the way that I ran with the ball in my hands. So that was something that was a big point of emphasis on myself to improve in my game. So yeah, that's something I want to continue to improve on, especially around these guys, the way they're toting the ball. I want to be able to do the same thing."
After the 21-20 preseason win, Samuel walked out of the locker room and issued an endorsement of the rookie receiver.
Deebo shouts out Ronnie Bell after the W 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/H1AqxQeq4G
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) August 20, 2023
What has the relationship between the veteran and first-year player been like this offseason?
"It's been smooth," Samuel responded after Monday's practice. "You know, in our receiver room, we harp hard on ... like, first it started off with run blocking, and so he was struggling with that at first. And so me and Brandon was on him hard about that. But once he got that, and then his reps start going up, and you can see, like, kind of reflecting back when I was a rookie, how hard it is, and how hard you got to practice to get ready for a game.
"So, he's been getting better at that, and it kind of shows in the game. He's a real-life gamer."
Samuel seeks to improve upon his disappointing outing last season. After a breakout 2021 campaign, the do-everything receiver turned in less than half the production in 2022. Samuel declared the performance "awful" and vowed never to put anything like that on film again.
Samuel reported to training camp leaner and in the best shape of his career. He caught two passes for 39 yards in his limited playing time against the Broncos. How did it feel playing at a lighter weight?
"I think it's like a little more to my step," Samuel said. "Like a little more speed, so it's a little bit more power. But overall, it felt good to get out there, get a couple of plays [under] my belt to get ready for the season."
When asked how his leaner frame and improved quickness will benefit him on the football field, the receiver responded, "For stamina and be able to go longer, because I was usually going one, two plays, and then [had to] come out. But the durability and the capacity that I've built [will help me] keep going."
