Bell says he’ll stick to formula

But Jets not pleased

Le'Veon Bell took to social media to explain why he's been a noshow for most of the Jets' voluntary offseason program. Gang Green's marquee free-agent signing made a cameo at the team facility for the first few days of the offseason program that began on April 8 before working out on his own rather than with his new teammates the past several weeks.

Bell, who inked a fouryear, $52.5 million deal that included $27 million in real guarantees, was one of two

players not to participate in the three-day voluntary veteran minicamp two weeks ago. The Jets will hold their first true practice at the start of Organized Team Activities on May 21. The first – and only – mandatory event this offseason will be the team's three-day minicamp from June 4-6.

Bell responded to a fan's query Monday night about when he was coming to practice.

“When it's time to play football,” Bell wrote. “l got to stick to the formula that I know works for me to be the best player I can be…l'm not just tryna win football games, I want a ring! I want to desperately show everybody what I can what I can REALLY do…I'll take the heat right now, everybody will forget about that once January comes around.”

No matter what anyone on One Jets Drive says publicly, know this: The Jets aren't particularly pleased with their new running back's decision to stay away from the team given their significant investment and desire to make him an integral part of Adam Gase's offense.

Some folks aren't in the least bit surprised by Bell's disappearing act given his recent past. Remember, he didn't participate in the Steelers offseason program the past two years during his contract impasse.

“It's voluntary,” Gase recently said of Bell's absence. “That's what it is. That's the CBA. That's the rules. He was here that first week (of workouts). (We) got a lot of good information that week to him. The good things is having the iPads and things like that helps you. If a guy's not here, he can keep up on what we're doing as far as playbook goes.”

“Really for him, he has a pretty good training regimen that he goes through,” Gase added. “I don't even remember the last time he had an offseason (like this). It's been a few years (since) he was going through this kind of stuff. So, he knows how to get his body ready for training camp and the regular season. He's been doing this for a minute.”

Bell is right that his decision to stay away won't matter if he leads the Jets to the postseason. But it's fair for the team to want its big free-agent acquisition in the building with his new teammates and coaches.