49ers waive wide receiver Bell amid rocky 2024 season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Ronnie Bell era in San Francisco is over. At least for now.
The 49ers announced they waived the second-year wide receiver on Friday afternoon, less than two seasons after San Francisco selected Bell No. 253 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Bell wraps up his 49ers tenure with eight receptions for 90 yards and three touchdowns across two seasons.
The sophomore wideout has received plenty of criticism this season, most notably for a brutal performance in San Francisco’s Week 2 loss to the Los Angeles Rams where Bell dropped multiple passes in critical spots.
A year made all the difference, as Bell initially burst on the scene with a promising preseason for the 49ers during his rookie season. Bell finished the 2023 preseason with the NFL’s fourth-most receiving yards, hauling in 10 receptions for 172 yards in three games.
That initial momentum never managed to develop into consistent production or playing time in the regular season, with Bell’s high point likely being his first NFL touchdown in a primetime win over the New York Giants last season.
Bell departs the 49ers with just two receptions for 22 yards in 9 games during the 2024 NFL season.
Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast