Steelers coach Bill Cowher said he expects inside linebacker Kendrell Bell to return to practice next week. Bell, however, said that he still hasn’t completely recovered from hernia surgery two weeks ago. “Kendrell has been running pretty much pain-free,” Cowher said. “He’ll start practicing next week and we will go from there.” Bell said the pain from the surgery has not disappeared. “I can run 75 percent and be comfortable,” he said. “(Doctors) said it would take 2-to-6 weeks. I had a lot of soreness after a week and it started to go away. I’m doing what I can right now.” The Steelers have carried on without Bell for most of this year. He missed almost all of the spring coaching sessions with a groin injury, played in only the first preseason game Aug. 14 and has been inactive for three exhibition and all six regular-season games. Bell has started 44 of 48 games in three seasons, often played through ankle and shoulder pain and has been quick to return from previous injuries. He said he is not frustrated by his recent inactivity. “After the first three weeks that I didn’t play, I pretty much got over it and tried to put my energy toward something else,” he said. “Of course, we are winning. If we were losing, I would be more (upset). We’re doing well and I’m not frustrated.” Bell was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2001, when he made 88 tackles, nine sacks and forced two fumbles. He missed four games in 2002 with a high ankle sprain, but he aggravated the injury when he tried to play through the pain. In the opener against the New England Patriots, he played just 12 snaps before leaving the game. He struggled with the injury all season, but made a surprise recovery for a playoff victory against the Cleveland Browns, when he made nine tackles, 2 1/2 for a loss. He tried to play the next week against the Tennessee Titans, but left after a few series. He played last season, starting every game and making 108 tackles, with five sacks and a fumble recovery. But he had offseason shoulder surgery this year and reported to training camp with nagging soreness. That injury has healed, but the groin pain became worse. Eventually, doctors diagnosed the injury as a sports hernia and performed surgery Oct. 6, installing mesh to help the recovery process. Bell’s contract expires after this season. “I’m more trying be in tune to myself and get my mind right,” he said. “I haven’t been playing in six weeks. It would be tough for me to go out there and perform like I know I want to and I don’t want to beat myself up. We’ll see how it feels whenever I start practicing.” Until then, he won’t try to test the injury with full-speed sprints. “Until I communicate to (trainer) John Norwig that I’m feeling better and I can do something else, I will continue to jog,” Bell said.

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