AFC East Notes: Le’Veon Bell, Jets, Patriots

Le’Veon Bell

• Per Mehta, the decision to sign Le’Veon Bell was driven by ownership.
• Brian Costello of the New York Post reports that Gase and Bell “have been in constant contact” since the offseason program began last month and have even had conversations this week after Gase was promoted to interim.
• For what it’s worth, John Clayton said of Bell: “If there’s a suitor, I could absolutely see the Jets trading him before the start of the season.”

Jets

• Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports that Jets HC Adam Gase “spent months grumbling about decisions, non-decisions” and while people around him brushed it off as “Adam being Adam,” there was an “underlying uneasiness.”
• Mehta says that Gase “seized an opportunity to gain control with a savvy play in the strangest sort of passive-aggressive power struggle that included petulance, back-door bad-mouthing and obliviousness.“
• A Jets’ employee tells Mehta of owner Christopher Johnson: “He sees the good in everybody. He just doesn’t know what he’s doing.”
• People in the organization who spoke to Mehta believe Johnson wants the Jets to succeed, but there’s also a “strong sentiment” that he “simply doesn’t have the experience, football savvy and support structure right now to make sound choices.”
• Sources tell Mehta that “Gase wanted to wash his hands of the draft before it even began” and was “oddly detached for all three days” of the draft. 
• According to Mehta, GM Mike Maccagnan didn’t ask for Gase’s opinion during organizational discussions because he didn’t want Gase to adversely influence his scouts’ evaluations. This, of course, angered Gase: “It pissed Adam off,” a team source tells Mehta. “Mike didn’t want him to speak up too much. It’s a weird philosophy.”
• Veteran LB Brandon Marshall said that the Jets expressed interest early in free agency before his market went quiet. (Ryan O’Halloran)

Patriots

Patriots OL Joe Thuney says he loves being in New England, but he isn’t worried about his future. 

“I’m just focused on what I control, and I’m just focused on being here,” Thuney said, via the Boston Herald. “I love New England. It’s been awesome here and just trying to improve, get better and get ready for the season.”

“I love it here,” Thuney said. “It’s great. The organization’s been awesome, teammates have been awesome. So absolutely no complaints from me.”

• According to Albert Breer, Patriots LB Jamie Collins‘ one-year deal includes a $150,000 signing, a $900,000 base with $100,000 of this guaranteed, $850,000 in per-game roster bonuses, a $100,000 workout bonus, $2 million in playing-time incentives, $500,000 in Pro Bowl incentives and $500,000 in All-Pro incentives.