If the New York Jets are truly committed to winning during the rookie contract of quarterback Sam Darnold, they must go out and get Le’Veon Bell.
The New York Jets are at 3-7 looking at another lost season. There is basic upheaval throughout the organization, and the assumed conclusion is that Todd Bowles will fired at the end of the season.
Mike Maccagnan cannot assume that his job is safe either. Maybe a bit lesser than the coach, but the general manager is squarely on the hot seat as well.
There are two things, however, that the Jets have. The first is the young quarterback, Sam Darnold. After all these years they have finally found one. Now they just have to build around him while he is still under team financial control.
More from Empire Writes Back
- Caesars New York Promo Code: Win $250 Bonus GUARANTEED on ANY Bet!
- Last Chance Caesars Promo: Claim $1,250 Bonus for ANY MLB Bet!
- Caesars New York Promo Code Gives TWO Chances to Win Betting on Your Yankees!
- PointsBet New York Promo: FIVE $100 Bonus Bets to Back the Yankees or Mets!
- Caesars NY Promo: $1,250 Bonus to Celebrate the Return of Judge!
Along those lines, the other thing the Jets have is money. According to Spotrac, the Jets will have just over $106 million in cap space, good for second in the league.
We can all agree that putting a winning team together during Darnold’s rookie contract is of the utmost importance.
With that, there is a player out there who in 2019 will make the Jets immediately better. His name is Le’Veon Bell.
Who is the play maker on this Jets offense? That’s right, they don’t have one. Nobody is on this roster that coaches have to game plan for.
Bell immediately changes that. His stats speak for themselves. For his career he averages 86.1 rushing yards per game. In 2016 he averaged over 105 rushing yards per game.
He also has 312 receptions and seven receiving touchdowns to his credit. Bell is clearly a three-down back of the highest order. There is no question about his talent.
One issue is the offensive line. The Jets offensive line needs help. It’s possible to question how Bell would do behind the Jets offensive line as currently set.
First of all, Bell wouldn’t take up the entire salary cap all by himself. The Jets will likely work the line in the draft, and even in free agency, these guys don’t make the same type of money as skilled position players.
There will be money to pay Bell and to pay offensive linemen.
Secondly, the need for a play maker is more important here than in other occasions. Every skilled position player on the Jets is very pedestrian. They make plays in the short to intermediate game far more often than the long game.
None of these guys can make magic happen with the ball in space. None of these guys can turn a game on its ear with one touch of the football. Le’Veon Bell can do that. He would change things for this franchise immediately.
But is he a team player? Does he care about winning? It’s a fair question considering the fact that he is sitting out the entire season over money. It’s hard for any of us to understand being insulted by Bell being offered $14.5 million to play in 2018.
Don’t worry about this, Jets fans. This won’t play into it, and here is why. The Jets will create a contract that makes it worthwhile for him to play and not complain. That contract will be loaded so nicely from his perspective he will come out and run hard.
Le’Veon will forget about his money problems, believe me.
Remember back to the 1990s, when Bobby Valentine was putting together his New York Mets? They had some talent but needed a guy that could galvanize the lineup. Then general manager Steve Phillips traded for Mike Piazza and off they went.
The lineup had a catalyst. They had a big-time play maker.
The Jets are nearly in an identical situation. The Jets need a big-time play maker. Le’Veon Bell is that guy. Go get him during the off-season.