New York Jets Will Trade Le’Veon Bell
The New York Jets will trade Le’Veon Bell at some point, they just need to find a willing partner first.
Although Bell has tried to downplay the tension that exists between him and head coach Adam Gase, it is clear that things just are not right between the two.
Last year, there were a lot of reports that Gase never actually wanted Bell and believed that the Jets had overpaid for him.
Based on his sparse usage of the running back, those claims are not particularly hard to believe.
When it was all said and done, Bell recorded 789 rushing yards and three touchdowns in his first season in New York.
That is not quite the production team management was anticipating when they inked him to a four-year, $52.5 million contract.
A little while back, team general manager Joe Douglas suggested that if someone were to inquire about a trade for Bell, he would not ignore them.
“If teams call, I will listen,” he said at the time.
The problem is, nobody is calling.
In addition to the fact that Bell is entering the second-year of a deal that will pay him a lot of money, there are also a lot of concerns regarding his ability to produce at this stage in the game.
In a recent report, ESPN NFL insider Rich Cimini noted that New York believed Bell gained too much weight last season and lost some of the explosiveness that made him an offensive threat with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Between his physical issues, clashes with Gase and general inability to fit into what the Jets are trying to do offensively, it is fair to wonder what the future holds for Bell.
One way or another, all parties involved may be forced to put their differences aside and work together next season. Even if Bell being traded is what everyone wants, the only way to achieve that end goal is by raising his value.
Will Gase feature the running back more prominently in the offense to make him a more lucrative trade target? Will Bell get back in shape and return to his old Steelers form? We’ll get the answers to all those questions come the start of next season.
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Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
