Le’Veon Bell is sure to like recent tweets that reported the Jets are trying to trade him.
New York is shopping the disgruntled running back, according to the New York Daily News and ESPN. The reports follow Bell’s approval of tweets suggesting the Jets should trade him over the weekend.
Bell, one of the league’s more skilled receiving backs, was unhappy after he saw just one target in New York’s 30-10 loss to the Cardinals on Sunday. He also liked tweets that highlighted his lack of looks and criticized Adam Gase.
Trading Bell will be no easy task given his lack of production the last two years, his recent injury history and his lofty salary. Bell’s appearance Sunday was his first back from a hamstring injury that forced him to miss three games. He has about $6 million still guaranteed on his 2020 salary. If the Jets do find a deal, it will almost certainly involve them eating some of Bell’s salary or throwing in some other sort of sweetener considering he’s averaged just 3.3 yards per carry in 17 games with New York.
If the Jets could get anything in return for a player they would otherwise surely part with this offseason, however, Joe Douglas should pull the trigger. Bell was never properly utilized in Gase’s offense, and it’s clear he won’t be part of the team’s future. Trading Bell now would make Frank Gore the No. 1 back and create more opportunities for rookie La’Mical Perine, who also doesn’t appear thrilled with his role in the offense.
The Jets tried trading Bell prior to last year’s deadline but couldn’t find any buyers. This year they have until Nov. 3 to try and find a taker for the 28-year-old.