Bell started the week off with a limited sessions but has not been able to practice Friday or Saturday, leading to the questionable designation. He’s a consistent contributor to the back end of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s defense, making an absence meaningful should he ultimately be held out.

Bell exited Thursday’s practice with a back injury. He has an extra day to rehabilitate the issue with the Bengals not playing until Monday night. The team would surely prefer to have him on-field for the game but the Commanders’ lackluster passing game may fail to exploit his potential absence all the same.

Like Russell Wilson, Bell is also getting paid guaranteed money to not play for his former team. The veteran safety will receive $6 million in guaranteed money in 2024, with most of that being paid by the Panthers after the Bengals signed him to a vet minimum. Bell was with the Bengals from 2020 through 2022 and totaled 288 tackles, five interceptions, and eight forced fumbles in his first stint. Bell earned a PFF coverage grade of 63.8 with the Panthers last season, and now joins a revamped safety corps that also includes Geno Stone, who was signed from the Ravens earlier in the week.

Bell was only one season into a “three-year deal.” Going on 30, Bell missed four games for the league-worst Panthers last season and contributed far fewer big plays than he did for Lou Anarumo’s defense over the previous three years. The move only creates significant cap savings if Bell is designated as a post-June 1 release. In theory, Bell does still offer every-snap availability.