Not everyone believes the New York Jets made the right decision by adding Le'Veon Bell in free agency. The superstar running back, though, has no doubt he will prove an entirely new group of detractors wrong in 2019.
On Friday, Bell admitted that he understands why some football followers might have forgotten just how effective he is on the field, and is prepared to remind them during his debut season with the Jets.
Article Continues Below“Maybe people forget a little bit just because they haven’t seen it in a long time,” he said, per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. “It’s normal. That’s what humans do. But I feel like once I go out here, I play, first game coming up, people will be reminded.”
Bell signed a four-year, $52 million contract with New York in March, a deal that includes a record $35 million in guarantees.
In addition to the risk of committing such a large ratio of the salary cap to a veteran running back, concerns about Bell, a three-time Pro Bowler, are related to the nature of his uniquely unceremonious departure from the Pittsburgh Steelers. After Pittsburgh tagged him with the franchise tag for the second consecutive season, Bell sat out the entirety of 2018, first in hopes of receiving a long-term extension, and then to preserve his body for an upcoming pay day in free agency rather than play for a team with whom he grew openly antagonistic.
Bell, 27, notched career-highs in rushes, rushing touchdowns, and catches in 2017, finishing his latest season with 321 carries for 1,291 yards and nine scores while adding 85 receptions for 655 yards and two touchdowns.