Will Leveon Bell Get Traded Again
According to multiple reports emerging from New York – sorry, rustic New Jersey – Tuesday afternoon, the Jets were eager to merchandise running back Le'Veon Bell.
The team admitted every bit much Tuesday night, evidently realizing how impossible finding a deal would be, and instead released the veteran back entirely.
It's not the first time Bell has had an unsightly NFL divorce.
The Pittsburgh Steelers never managed to deal the two-time All-Pro in 2018, when Bell wound upwards sitting out the season rather than play on a $fourteen.five million franchise tag.
Bell signed a four-year, $52.5 one thousand thousand contract with the Jets final year. Since then, an uneasy spousal relationship mostly served to spotlight philosophical differences between embattled passenger vehicle Adam Gase and old full general managing director Mike Maccagnan – he was fired two months later on importing Bong – as well as an credible undertow of friction between Gase and Bell himself.
The motorbus had, on multiple occasions, publicly attempted to assert his relationship with Bell amid rumors he never wanted him on the roster in the beginning place or while doing impairment control when the vii-year veteran sends cryptic signals on social media that seemingly place him at odds with Gase.
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The Jets attempted to jettison Bell last season, per multiple reports, but plant no takers for a player whose income averages $13.1 million annually. Among running backs, only Christian McCaffrey, Ezekiel Elliott and Alvin Kamara – all substantially more productive players than Bong at this point – earn more on average.
The Jets volition have paid Bell the entirety of his $27 million in guarantees by the end of this season, when his base of operations bacon is $8.v meg. He would take been due $eight million in base salary next twelvemonth and $9.five million in 2022 – quite a lot of cheddar for a guy who averaged 80.2 yards from scrimmage per outing with New York and 3.3 yards per behave. (Bell averaged 1 m more per rush with the Steelers and nearly 129 yards from scrimmage per game.)
He besides missed three games in 2020 with a hamstring injury Gase had telegraphed in training camp but Bong attempted to debunk. And while Bell'southward disappointing stint in New York wasn't entirely his fault, information technology'southward hard to foresee much of a marketplace building for a 28-year-old who plays a position that generally isn't earmarked for meaning cap resources.
Regardless, he's more bonny now that other teams don't have to absorb his boundness of a contract. Here are six (sort of) teams that might emerge as potential suitors:
Chicago Bears: Constructive as big-bodied possession receiver Allen Robinson can be, QB Nick Foles isn't working with any dynamic weapons – a trouble exacerbated by the flavor-catastrophe loss of RB Tarik Cohen to a human knee injury. Bell doesn't possess Cohen'due south jitterbug factor, but he is a natural receiver who could complement Robinson and No. one RB David Montgomery, while besides spelling the latter and even sharing the field with him. Improbable as the Bears' 4-1 starting time is, they're solidifying themselves in the wild-card race and are only a half-game behind the undefeated Light-green Bay Packers in the NFC Northward. Just adding reinforcements seems imperative if Chicago is to remain in playoff contention.
Kansas City Chiefs: Since rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire'southward 138-m rushing outburst in his pro debut, the champs have averaged a pedestrian (for them) 107.eight yards per game on the basis. Edwards-Helaire is clearly the hereafter here – and the present, too. But with Damien Williams opting out of this flavor, K.C. looks disturbingly thin behind their first-circular pick. Bong would provide non only insurance but could also brand an instant impact equally a change-of-pace or third-downwards back – surely able to chew upwardly chunks of yardage given the space created underneath every bit WRs Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman and TE Travis Kelce stretch defenses to their limits.
New England Patriots: A trade with the Jets would accept been a non-starter. But now that Bong is a free man? He would accept to suppress some of his Le'Veon-get-go impulses, merely joining forces with Cam Newton and Bill Belichick – not to mention getting two free cracks at the Jets – would surely hold some appeal for Bell. And with RB Sony Michel on injured reserve for the time being, some other capable weapon would certainly exist welcome in the Pats' bid to eternalize their mail-Brady defense force of their AFC Due east throne.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Worth considering, unlikely as a reunion seems. Durability isn't starting RB James Conner'southward calling card, and 2nd-twelvemonth understudy Benny Snell Jr. has iv career receptions. And where else could Bell make an immediate splash given his familiarity with QB Ben Roethlisberger and this proud team'south culture? And sure would exist nice to play relevant games again, Pittsburgh off to its first 4-0 first since the Steel Drapery era. And who knows? A reconciliation actually might work long term when because Conner is unsigned beyond this season.
San Francisco 49ers: Let'southward first acknowledge they've got a fleet of running backs that includes Raheem Mostert, Jerick McKinnon, Tevin Coleman (currently injured) plus FB Kyle Juszczyk. And still this sputtering offense, which barely cracks the peak 10 in rushing yards per game, needs some kind of spark. Bell could conceivably provide that even if used primarily out of the slot, which he's certainly capable of doing – and especially if he were to bring together such a raw group of receivers.
Tennessee Titans: Pop quiz – who steps into the breach if 2019 rushing gnaw Derrick Henry goes downwards? Answer: Who knows? The depth chart suggests rookie Darrynton Evans and/or Jeremy McNichols would attempt to fill the void, but would they really exist plenty to sustain a team that rode Henry to the brink of the Super Bowl last season? Even if Henry continues to mow downward opposing defenders without a sustaining a scratch, information technology would nevertheless make sense to kick the tires on Bong given what an extremely limited receiver Henry continues to exist.
Team X: Admittedly, a copout answer. McCaffrey continues to sit down with a loftier ankle sprain, and the Browns' Nick Chubb – he finished second to Henry in rushing terminal twelvemonth – is currently on injured reserve with a knee injury. Meanwhile, teams with legitimate playoff inspirations – recollect Seahawks, Colts, Raiders, Cowboys, Eagles and Saints – are just ane catastrophic backfield injury from seeing their hopes dissipate. Desperate teams and unemployed players often make for convenient bedfellows.
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Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/jets/2020/10/13/leveon-bell-trade-teams-jets-bears-chiefs-steelers-niners-titans/3640907001/
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