Kendrell

Bell

Bell missed practice yesterday with a sore groin. A similar ailment kept him out of almost every coaching session this spring. Neither Bell nor coach Bill Cowher was available to comment on the recent turn of events, but it is believed that Bell hurt his groin earlier this week.

If Bell plays, he isn’t likely to be in on passing downs.

Bell missed practice Friday again with a sore groin. The Steelers would be better served to let him rest one more week.

He practiced on Wednesday and looked sharp. The Steelers say their linebackers will be more aggressive this season.

Bell has been limited by an arthritic shoulder.

The inside linebacker is still listed as questionable, but his injury has changed for a shoulder to a groin injury on the official report. That problem kept Bell, perhaps Pittsburgh’s best defensive player, on the shelf for most of training camp.

The earliest he’ll return is after Pittsburgh’s bye week. Larry Foote will continue to start for the Steelers.

He will return to Pittsburgh practice next week and could be available for their week eight showdown versus the Patriots.

If Bell can make it through a week of practice without incident, he should make his season debut this Sunday. Bell is expected to be a reserve behind Larry Foote at MLB, at least initially.

His groin surgery, performed two weeks ago, is supposed to take two-to-six weeks to recover from.