JETS’ BELL PLAN
Gase says he didn’t use running back correctly last year and will do better in 2020
Adam Gase side-stepped whether perennial Pro Bowler Le’Veon Bell would be a workhorse or just another cog in the league’s worst-ranked offense from last year.
Will Bell, one of the NFL’s best dual-threat running backs in the past decade before his forgettable 2019 campaign with the Jets, be the centerpiece or part of a running back by committee this season?
“Every game is so different,” Gase said Wednesday after the team’s first non-padded practice. “You’re always trying to figure with the personnel you have, what’s the best way to (do it). Could it be a situation where Le’Veon and Frank (Gore) are on the field at the same time? Yeah, there could be a situation where we’re doing things like that. I think physically, yes, he can do what he’s always done.”
Although Gase commended Bell’s commitment to getting in great shape this offseason, the coach suggested that the running back’s age and wear and tear will factor into high usage this season. Gang Green signed the 37year-old Gore this offseason to ostensibly lighten Bell’s load.
“He’s 28,” Gase said of Bell. “And every year with the running back, you got to make sure that you’re using him the right way in making sure that we’re getting him to 16-plus games… not grinding him out. Last year, I feel like I did a bad job in the beginning of the season, I was really trying to get him going. And at the same time, teams knew what we were doing and they were loading up the box and he was taking some shots. I’m sure that wore on him as the season went on. I just have to do a good job of making sure that he’s getting his touches, but at the same time putting him in the best position possible to get him 16plus games.”
The prevailing sentiment is that Gase did a poor job deploying one of the best players in the NFL last season. The result was predictable: Bell averaged a career-low 3.2 yards per carry. The Jets were hoping to move Bell — and his relatively hefty contract — at the trade deadline, but found no takers willing to keep the terms of the monster deal.
Gase, whose offenses in Miami and last season were among the worst in pace of play (plays per game), underscored the importance of getting more
offensive snaps each week.
“It’s about getting the ball into his hands and letting him go do things,” Gase said. “Letting him make centers miss. Find ways to get him in open space. It’s variety. Move him around and not make it to where a defense can say he’s always going to be doing this. Or if he’s in this spot, he’s always doing this.”
“I can see him embracing that,” Gase said. “You can tell when he’s listening (and) he really knows, ‘All right, this can help me open up my game a little bit more compared to last year.’ ”
Gase also emphasized Bell’s willingness to grow in the second year in his offense.
“He’s never going to blame anybody else,” Gase said. “When we were talking through things we could do different this year — and maybe where we missed the mark last year — he’s coming back (and saying), ‘I got to do this better…’ I appreciate that, but at the same time we got to do a good job to get some open lanes. We got to make sure we do a better job of scheming some things up for him to make sure he’s the primary guy on some of the passing game stuff.”
Said offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains: “There’s always pressure when you have a player of Lev Bell’s status to get him the ball… but sometimes Lev creates attention that’s going to get someone else open. And you can’t lose sight of that.… Sometimes it may be nine touches. Sometimes it may be 30. If it’s a nine-touch game, maybe (Breshad) Perriman and (Chris) Herndon and Frank Gore and all these other players are going to contribute in different ways… He’s the ultimate team player. He’s ready to go and fulfill his role… whatever that role is.”