Bears add Kahlil Bell for depth at running back

A little thin at running back after losing Matt Forte to a right ankle injury Thursday night, the Chicago Bears added a familiar player to the mix.

Kahlil Bell, who was waived before the team’s third preseason game, was re-signed to a one-year contract for the minimum salary of $615,000. Bell spent the past three seasons with the club and declined to take a pay cut to $700,000 during preseason.

Forte was injured in the third quarter of the Bears’ 23-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers. He is not expected to miss an extended period of time but the team had only Michael Bush and Armando Allen on the roster behind him. Bush will start against the St. Louis Rams on Sept. 23 at Soldier Field if Forte is sidelined.

“I never wanted to leave Chicago in the first place, let’s make that clear,’’ Bell told Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune. "I love the city. I love the team. I love the coaching staff.’’

The Bears had tendered Bell as a restricted free agent and originally he was to earn $1.26 million this season.

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune