[Kansas City.com] It’s official, at least for now: Kendrell Bell and Freddie Mitchell will make their preseason debuts Friday night at St. Louis.

Vermeil said Monday that Bell, who has been slowed with shoulder issues, will finally shed his warmups against the Rams. Bell was considered one of the Chiefs’ biggest offseason defensive acquisitions – he’ll start at right-side linebacker – but he was held from contact for all of training camp and missed the first three preseason games.

“I think mentally and physically, he thinks it’s better,” Vermeil said of the shoulder. “Mentally, he feels more confident in turning it loose and testing it.”

Mitchell, who was supposed to help the Chiefs at wide receiver, hurt his knee in the first week of training camp. Though he’ll have an uphill battle to make the roster, he’s a proven veteran and Vermeil said he worked out “very good” on Monday.