After missing the 2018 NFL season in a contract dispute with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Le’Veon Bell landed with the New York Jets on a gigantic four-year contract reported to be worth more than $52 million. Bell appeared in 15 games during the 2019 campaign, accumulating 789 rushing yards, 461 receiving yards, and four total touchdowns. However, Bell didn’t quite recapture his All-Pro form and, with the Jets off to a brutal start to the 2020 campaign, whispers circulated that New York could look to move Bell in a trade.
On Tuesday evening, the Jets waived the white flag on that idea, instead announcing the decision to release Bell.
Statement from GM Joe Douglas pic.twitter.com/By9XevVXVv
— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 14, 2020
At the same time, Bell reacted on Twitter to the news.
🙏🏾
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) October 14, 2020
Though Bell’s entire four-year deal was, of course, not guaranteed in typical NFL fashion, he was owed considerable money for the 2020 season, including eight figures in guaranteed salary. It is not fully clear if the Jets will save any real money by making this move now but, at the very least, Bell leaves behind an eight-figure dead cap hit, which paints a picture of just how messy this situation actually was between the two sides.
The Jets are seemingly inching toward another version of a rebuild and, as a 28-year-old running back, it didn’t make much sense for Bell to be around for it. Still, this is the nuclear option after five weeks of the season, and it will be interesting to see where Bell ends up now that he is free to sign elsewhere.
