Former Bengal Vonn Bell to Sign With Panthers

After three seasons in Cincinnati, safety Vonn Bell has agreed to a deal with the Carolina Panthers.

Originally a second-round pick out of Ohio State in 2016, Bell spent four years in New Orleans before signing a three-year deal worth $18 million with the Bengals in 2020. The 28-year-old was a massive part of a Cincinnati secondary that earned two straight AFC Championship berths (2022, 2023) and also reached Super Bowl LVI where they lost to the Los Angeles Rams 23-20.

Bell’s career numbers include 621 total tackles – 423 solo and 198 assisted – in 109 NFL contests. The new Panther has plenty left in the tank heading into his eighth year in the league and has a durable history, only missing three contests in his professional career back in 2019. He’s a dependable and solid veteran who posted four interceptions for 56 yards last season along with two forced fumbles.

The Carolina Panthers are in the middle of a rebuild of sorts but play in arguably the weakest division in the NFL as no team won more than eight contests in 2020. So with just a few added pieces on both sides of the ball, they could be competitive in 2023.

He’s one of the first dominoes to fall in this free-agency period in the NFL, so stay tuned for all sorts of news on the remaining NFL free-agent players as the week moves on.