NFL Notes: Tyreek Hill, Le’Veon Bell, Earl Thomas

Tyreek Hill

• On Friday, reports surfaced police are investigating two separate incidents that took place at the home of Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill. (NFLTR)
• Jason La Canfora reports that the Chiefs were “very active” in exploring a possible Antonio Brown trade and did work on signing RB Le’Veon Bell, which struck other clubs as odd, given their roster. 
• La Canfora says that some executives around the NFL were wondering if the Chiefs were making contingencies in case Hill was having issues. 
• La Canfora adds the Chiefs’ interest in high-end skill players involved in the passing game ran counter to the notion that Hill was about to get a mega deal and raised some eyebrows around the league.

Le’Veon Bell

New Jets RB Le’Veon Bell says he’s happy with the way his saga has played out over the past year.  

“I don’t regret anything that had happened,” Bell said via ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “Everything’s happened for a reason. Who can say that if I played last year, you know, if I do go out and play last year on a one-year franchise tag, if I do get hurt, do I end up sitting in this position today, being with the New York Jets on a beautiful deal?”

Bell was also aware the Steelers had no incentive to stop using him so heavily and what that could potentially mean for his market value.

“Who’s to say a team would take me after 400 carries?” Bell said.

With over a year off from football, Bell says this is the best he’s ever felt.  

“I’ve been playing football since the age of 4 years old, every single year,” he said. “The fact that I took last year off — it sucked having to watch football — but at the same time, from the end of December through January and February, it’s the best my body has ever felt in my life. There’s nothing that comes close or compares to how I feel, literally just resting and letting my body heal. … I’ve got so much built up in me that it’s time to let it go now.” 

• According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the 49ers offer to RB Le’Veon Bell was for three years, $38 million “just about fully guaranteed.”
• The Jets had emerged as Bell’s preferred destination by the NFL Combine.  
• Both Raiders QB Derek Carr and WR Antonio Brown recruited Bell hard to join the Raiders.  

Earl Thomas

New Ravens S Earl Thomas said he thought he was going to sign with the Chiefs before Baltimore entered the mix and closed out an agreement. 

“I thought I was going to go Kansas City on like a two-year deal, one-year deal, and I was just going to bet on myself and hit the market again [next year or in 2021], and then my agents called me,” Thomas said, via BaltimoreRavens.com. “. . .They said that Baltimore has made a deal for you. I said, ‘Hell, yeah. That’s where I’m going.’”