Jets Willing To Take Late Pick Or Back-End Player In Trade For Le’Veon Bell

According to Manish Mehta, the Jets are shopping RB Le’Veon Bell with the hopes of trading him sooner rather than later. 

Albert Breer confirms the report and adds it sounds like New York is willing to take pennies for Bell, such as a late-round pick or end-of-roster player. 

The relationship between the two sides has dramatically deteriorated, with Bell frustrated with his usage by the team. 

For the rebuilding Jets, it makes sense to get what they can for Bell if they can find any takers. 

New York shopped Bell around the trade deadline last year but were reportedly underwhelmed by the offers. Most of the beat reporters around the team have said Bell was certain to be a cap casualty in 2021 regardless. 

Bell is due an $8.5 million guaranteed base salary this year but the team has already paid a portion of it. Any team trading for Bell would pick up the remainder which is currently around $6 million. That would come off the books for New York this year. 

Bell, 28, is a former second-round pick of the Steelers back in 2013. He played out the final year of his four-year, $4,120,600 rookie contract, but Pittsburgh used their franchise tag on him.

The Steelers decided to franchise Bell for the second straight year, but he elected to hold out the entire 2018 season and set himself up for free agency in 2019. The Jets later signed Bell to a four-year, $52.5 million contract worth up to $61 million and including $35 million guaranteed.

Bell is set to make base salaries of $8 million and $9.5 million the next two years. 

In 2020, Bell has appeared in two games for the Jets and rushed 19 times for 74 yards while catching three passes for 39 yards and no touchdowns. 

We’ll have more on Bell and the Jets as the news is available.