GREEN BAY -- The Green Bay Packers added some needed running back help Monday, signing veteran Kahlil Bell on Monday, an NFL source confirmed.
ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky was the first to report the signing, and Bell also Tweeted that he had joined the Packers.
Playing for the Chicago Bears, the 5-foot-11, 219-pound Bell ran 23 times for 121 yards against the Packers on Dec. 25, 2011, at Lambeau Field. It is Bell's only career 100-yard rushing game.
After placing rookie Johnathan Franklin on season-ending injured reserve last week with a concussion and a neck injury, the Packers had only three running backs on their 53-man roster: Starter Eddie Lacy, backup James Starks and fullback John Kuhn. The team lost practice-squad running back Michael Hill, who spent a couple weeks on the 53-man roster, to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last month.
Demovsky reported that Bell had worked out for the Packers last season, then worked out for the team again on Monday.
Bell was in training camp with the New York Jets this summer and has been out of football since being cut at the end of camp. For his career, Bell has carried 148 times for 633 yards and no touchdowns. He ran 29 times for 76 yards last season with the Jets.
Bell entered the league with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent from UCLA in 2009.
The Packers will have to make a roster move to make room for Bell. They promoted practice squad linebacker Victor Aiyewa to the 53 when Franklin was placed on IR.
Jason Wilde wrote: