Gase says it was ‘best that we part ways’ with Bell

NEWYORK—TheNew York Jets’ decision to move on from Le’Veon Bell was a stunner.

For a while now, though, it appeared inevitable.

The star running back never seemed to truly mesh with coach Adam Gase or his offense during the past season-plus. AndBellmade it clear he wasn’t thrilled with his role.

So his sudden release Tuesday night wasn’t completely a surprise — although the timing was. Rather than the Jets waiting to try to trade himatthe deadline in three weeks, they instead decided to cut ties now with a player for whom there were such high hopes.

“That was kind of the consensus we came to last night,” Gase said Wednesday. “Spoke with him and for us, wejust felt like it was best that we part ways.”

Bell was not seen as a long-term part of the Jets’ future, even though he signed a four-year, $52 million deal with the team last offseason. Hewaslikely to be a salary-cap cut next offseason, so New York tried to find a trade partner. The Jets also gave Bell and his agent permission to explore trades on their ends, but there were no takers.

Bell’s $8 million injury guarantee for 2021 was a hinderance for some, even with the Jets willing to pick up some of the $6 million remaining on his guaranteed base salary for this year. So Bell is now a free agent andcansign with any other team.

“I want nothing but the best for him, and he gets an opportunity to go somewhere else and have success,” Gase said. “It’s tough. It’s a tough decision to make, butwefelt like that was the best for us with where we’re at right now.”

The Jets are 0-5 for the first time since 1996 and will head to Miami to take on the AFC East-rival Dolphins on Sunday. Gase remainssquarely onthehot seat, andthis movewillonly further alienate the coach from the frustrated fan base —which blames him for the team’s struggles onthefield and its inability to keep star players happy.

Bell twice used social media this season to express unhappiness about how he was being used. The latest came last Sunday after he returned from missing three games with a hamstring injury.

He “liked” a few social media posts that criticized Gase’s use of Bell in the passing game — he caught just one pass on his only target — and another that suggested the Jets trade him.

Darnold out, Flacco in: Joe Flacco will get his second straight start at quarterback for the New York Jets in place of the injured SamDarnold.

Gase confirmed that the 35-year-old Flacco would be under center Sunday at Miami against the Dolphins. That comes after Darnold missed last week’s game against Arizona with a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder.

Flacco went 18 of 33 for 195 yards and one touchdown in New York’s 30-10 loss.

“I think I’ll probably bein a little bit different state of mindcomeSunday,” Flacco said. “Definitely alot of new feelings and things like that going through my head come Sunday because it was a little bit different for me. I put a lot of things out of my head as muchas possible.

“I think this week will be alittle easier to relax andget into the flow of the game right away.”