The New York Jets made a splash with the lucrative signing of running back Le'Veon Bell this offseason. He has since not been shy about expressing his high expectations going into the 2019 NFL season.
There has been plenty of talk about Bell's unceremonious departure from the Pittsburgh Steelers after sitting out the entire 2018 campaign. He has added to those headlines by revealing his plans to make his former team regret their decision to not pay him.
There is no denying that Bell is still one of the most talented running backs in the NFL, even after a year off. The three-time All-Pro has good reason to believe he is on the cusp putting together quite a comeback season in New York, however, it could take him and the rest of the offense some time to find their footing.
The Jets endured a rather tumultuous offseason after ushering in some significant changes to the front office and coaching staff. Regardless, there is still plenty of optimism that the offensive-minded Adam Gase will be able to lead a potential resurgence on that side of the ball this season. It is safe to assume that Bell will become an integral part of their new approach.
New York finally managed to secure their future franchise quarterback in Sam Darnold with the third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Jets are likely hoping that Bell can serve as a stabilizing factor for Darnold as he continues to develop his impressive skill set under center. Ideally, this could mean plenty of touches for the new Jets' workhorse this season.
Unfortunately, it may take some time for New York to get some bang for their buck out of Bell to start the season. They will be kicking things off with an AFC North matchup against a Buffalo Bills defense that allowed the second-fewest total yards in the league last season. Despite the retirement of defensive tackle Kyle Williams, the Bills still boast an impressive defensive front led by defensive end Jerry Hughes and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
Bell has become accustomed to getting things started on the right foot throughout his career. He has tallied more than 100 total yards in three of the last four season-openers he has played in. Of course, he is now faced with an entirely new set of challenges than the ones he faced while in Pittsburgh.
Although the year off allowed Bell to avoid some serious wear and tear, there are still some concerns about his conditioning to start the year. The 27-year-old also does not have as strong of a supporting cast as he once did with the Steelers, when he was surrounded by talent like Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown. The fact that their first test comes against a formidable Bills' defense is also hardly ideal.
As a result, it would be safe to temper expectations for Bell's production in the season-opener. Although Gase will likely try to get him somewhere north of 20 touches, a potential lack of efficiency in the run game could see him utilized more as a receiver against Buffalo.
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