Former 49ers practice squad member signed by Jets

A recent member of the San Francisco 49ers practice squad is headed elsewhere. The New York Jets signed defensive end Quinton Bell this week to their practice squad after the 49ers released Bell on Aug. 30.

The 6-foot-4 and 258-pound Bell recorded four tackles and one special teams stop in preseason action this summer.

The 49ers were the latest stop in a career that has taken Bell across the league after he signed a one-year deal on July 29, 2026. He has appeared in 33 games with three starts over four seasons with Tampa Bay (2020), Atlanta (2022) and Miami (2024-25). In that time, he has totaled 38 tackles (18 solo), one sack, one pass breakup and one forced fumble.

The Las Vegas Raiders selected Bell in the seventh round (No. 230 overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. Counting the Raiders, the Jets are his sixth organization.

A Long Beach, Calif., native, Bell was a high school track star at Costa Mesa High School. He switched from receiver to defensive end as a senior at Prairie View A&M and earned second-team all-SWAC honors. He became the first Prairie View player drafted since 1980.