Jets Reportedly Believe Le'Veon Bell Wasn't in Shape Over the Course of 2019 Season

After signing Le'Veon Bell to a four-year, $52.5 million deal with $35 million guaranteed, the New York Jets are now reportedly making excuses for his subpar first season in green.

Per sources, the Jets believe Bell was out of shape in 2019, and lost explosiveness in part due to his time away from the game.

Bell was, by any metric, a star running back for the Steelers in 2017. As a focal point of their offense, they turned to Bell for 321 rushes on the season, and he had an average of 4.0 yards per attempt, piling up nine rushing touchdowns and a pair of receiving scores.

Before entering the 2018 season, Bell and the Steelers could not agree on a long term contract, and Bell decided to sit the season out rather than play because he felt he was worth more than $14.5 million.

The Jets agreed with him, even after some Steelers fans questioned his dedication to the team.

But in his first season with the Jets, Bell struggled through a career-worst campaig. He mustered up just 3.2 rushing yards per carry, and only three touchdowns on the season. His 789 rushing yards was his second-worst single-season mark, better only than his 2015 season, when he played just six games.

It's not like the Jets' offensive line did him any favors, but the explosiveness that helped him excel was clearly not as potent in his most recent season, and Jets sources believe that his weight gain throughout the season dragged on him. Now, the possibility remains that the Jets will at least explore trading Bell, with three more years on his deal.

With a large guaranteed salary next season, potential suitors are few and far between. If the Jets are able to pull something off, the return will likely not be glamorous by any means.