SHOW & BELL
Jets have questions to answer if they plan to shower big dollars on free agent RB
JAMAL ADAMS has made his feelings on Le’Veon Bell clear. The Jets’ star safety wants the team to add the running back in a bad way.
Now, the question is whether general manager Mike Maccagnan feels the same way.
The biggest decision of this Jets offseason is whether to pursue Bell, the Steelers running back who is set to become an unrestricted free agent on March 13. The Jets are debating the decision internally, weighing all of the factors.
The reasons to sign Bell are simple. He is a playmaker and finding playmakers to surround quarterback Sam Darnold is one of the Jets’ top priorities this offseason. Landing a player of Bell’s ability in free agency is a rare opportunity. Bell has gained more yards from scrimmage (7,996) in his first 62 NFL games than any other player since at least 1950, which is how far the stat goes back.
Bell has had three 1,000-yard rushing seasons and one 800yard receiving season. The Jets have not had a running back close to Bell’s skill level since Thomas Jones a decade ago.
The Jets have $95.9 million in salary-cap space, according to overthecap.com, so they can afford to sign Bell and not be crippled by the money he will receive.
Bell turns 27 on Feb. 18 and he had a heavy workload in Pittsburgh, part of the reason he sat out the 2018 season. There are questions about whether signing Bell would be wise. He also has character questions, having been suspended twice for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He also was arrested in 2014 on DUI and marijuana possession charges.
Here are a few of the major issues the Jets are weighing regarding Bell:
How much is a running back worth?
1 In this age of passing, running backs have been devalued in the eyes of many around the NFL. The latest example was C.J. Anderson having as big a role for the Rams as Todd Gurley in the NFC Championship and Super Bowl. Gurley is the top-paid running back in the sport at four years, $57.5 million and the Rams claim he was healthy, so what does it say that they chose to limit his touches in the most important games of the season?
Then, there are the Steelers who did not seem to miss Bell much this season when he sat out. James Conner, a 2017 thirdround pick, did just fine in Bell’s absence. The Steelers’ yards per carry went from 3.8 in 2017 to 4.3 in 2018, although their yards per game did dip by 10 yards. Even when Conner was out with an ankle injury in weeks 14 and 15 this past season, rookie Jaylen Samuels played well. He rushed for 142 yards against the Patriots.
Using premium resources, such as high draft picks and big-money deals in free agency, on running backs has been looked down upon in recent years. The Giants got beat up for taking Saquon Barkley with the No. 2 pick last year, although he showed his value this past season. Still, compare the production the Giants got from Barkley (1,307 rushing yards, 11 rushing TDs) to what the Broncos got from undrafted free agent Phillip Lindsay (1,037 yards, 9 TDs).
Many people around the NFL believe schemes and offensive lines are more important in the running game than the backs.
Maccagnan has never spent big on a back. As the Jets GM, he has signed Isaiah Crowell ($4 million guaranteed), Bilal Powell ($6 million guaranteed) and Matt Forte ($9 million guaranteed). He has drafted two running backs — Elijah McGuire and Trenton Cannon — both in the sixth round.
Are Bell’s actions in 2018 a concern?
2 Bell walked away from $14.5 million last season, choosing not to play on the franchise tag. This raised questions (which probably are overblown) about his loyalty to his teammates. But for the Jets, the concern has to be about how much money he will be looking for.
Not only did he pass on that $14.5 million, he also reportedly turned down a five-year deal from the Steelers that was worth as much as $70 million.
Bell has stated he wants to set the standard for other running backs. He has stated this is not about his money, but the principle of what backs should get paid.
That leads to just how much Bell will be looking for. Surely, he wants to eclipse the Gurley deal. He must to make his skipped season worth it. So that probably means $15 million average per year. Would the Jets give him that and guarantee three years to equal Gurley’s $45 million guarantee? That’s awfully rich, and I doubt the Jets would go that high.
The Steelers also are considering using the transition tag on Bell, which would allow them to match any offer. If a team goes too low on an offer, the Steelers could match it.
How does he handle a lottery ticket?
3 This is the unknown with any high-priced free agent. How do they handle the big payday? The Jets have been burned in the past by Santonio Holmes, Muhammad Wilkerson and Darrelle Revis (the latter two falling on Maccagnan). Trumaine Johnson also could be heading that way.
The Jets must do their research on Bell the person and see if they trust that he will not become overly content once he gets paid.