The Pittsburgh Steelers were unable to close out a deal for Le'Veon Bell to secure his services with the franchise long-term. James Conner has proven to be a great option with Bell out and now likely gone.
While trading him would've brought in an asset that could benefit their team now, the Steelers tried and failed to bring him back on the franchise tag. There are a host of NFL teams that could use Bell's versatility to help them ascend to the next level.
Here are a list of of five teams that have the best shot at signing the All-Pro back with him likely hitting free agency in 2019.
5. Oakland Raiders
Raiders fans were excited when they acquired quarterback guru Jon Gruden to be the team's new head coach. They have a talented young quarterback in Derek Carr and a tight end in Jared Cook that recorded 9 receptions for 180 yards in Week 1.
Even though they traded Khalil Mack, they are a good all-around team that is just missing a few key pieces. Marshawn Lynch has proven he can still play at an elite level when healthy, but he's nowhere near the receiving threat Bell is.
The NFL is loosening their restrictions on partnerships with casinos, and the Raiders are moving to Las Vegas in 2020. When Lynch is a free agent next summer, there will be plenty of room for Bell to step in and make the Raiders' offense even more reputable. There could be opportunities for a big payday in Las Vegas.
4. Green Bay Packers
It's no secret that the Packers are a passing oriented team. They haven't had an above-average starting running back since Ryan Grant.
Year in and year out, they are still considered one of the top Super Bowl contending teams. If you give the Packers a rushing game and provide Aaron Rodgers with a dynamic safety valve in the flats like Bell, you'll be in for a real show.
The Packers have improved their secondary by selecting Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson in the 2018 NFL Draft. With Bell, they would become one of the most complete teams in football and win a lot of games.
3. San Francisco 49ers
The jury is still out on how good the 49ers can be with Jimmy Garoppolo as their starting quarterback. The franchise gave Jimmy G a five-year, $137 million deal this offseason, but they will still have plenty of cap space in 2019.
Injuries to their receiving corps may set them back this season. The 49ers lost their starting running back Jerick McKinnon to an ACL tear. If McKinnon isn't at his best when he returns, the team will have a hole to fill
If Bell wants money and touches, this should be one of his top free agency options in 2019. They have the ability to give him a big contract so he can be content with his financial security moving forward.
2. Indianapolis Colts
Andrew Luck looked great in his first regular season game in nearly two years last week. He threw for 319 yards and two touchdowns, but fell short to the Cincinnati Bengals. He came back with another strong performance in Indy's Week 2 win over the Washington Redskins.
The Colts will have $123,851,748 in cap space in 2019, giving them the highest total in the NFL. Money is not a problem for them, but running the football is.
Their team had a total of 75 rushing yards between four players against the Bengals in Week 1. The addition of Bell could give the Colts another dimension in their offense and help catapult them to the top next year. Luck will continue to get back in the flow of the NFL and they should continue to get better as the year progresses. Indy will make a strong case as an ideal landing spot for Bell.
1. New York Jets
The Jets will have the second-highest total cap space in 2019, right behind the Colts. After beating the Detroit Lions 48-17 in Week 1, it looks like Sam Darnold is the best of the rookie quarterbacks so far; he has a bright future. Their current running back Isaiah Crowell is not slouch. He hasn't rushed for 1,000 yards in a season yet, but he ran for 102 yards and two touchdowns in the Jets' season opener this year.
However, one game won't predict how the rest of the season will go for any team, and they certainly took a step back in Week 2's loss to the Miami Dolphins. If Darnold remains poised and his defense continues to perform well (it's ranked 2nd in DVOA after two weeks, per Football Outsiders), the Jets may be a force in the NFL sooner than you think.
Darnold's composed nature and ability to look through all his reads to find a check down would mesh well with Bell. Bell should keep an eye on the performance of the Jets this year.
Le'Veon Bell's decision
A plethora of other teams will likely make offers for Bell if and when he becomes available. His priorities will determine where he ends up.
It depends on if he wants money and touches, or to win in the NFL. Each of these teams should have a good shot at peaking Bell's interests on both sides.
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