Bell sticking with ‘formula’ over voluntary practice
When it comes to voluntary workouts, New York Jets running back Le’Veon Bell said on Monday that he knows what “works for me to be the best player I can be.”
Bell took to social media to respond to a question about when he’s going to attend practice after skipping some voluntary workouts: “When it’s time to play football…l got to stick to the formula that I know works for me to be the best player I can be…l’m not just tryna win football games, I want a ring! I want to desperately show everybody what I can what I can REALLY do…I’ll take the heat right now, everybody will forget about that once January comes around.”
Bell attended the first week of voluntary workouts, which began April 8, but hasn’t attended since. Last month, coach Adam Gase appeared unconcerned about Bell’s absence at the start of the team’s voluntary three-day minicamp.
“It’s voluntary,” Gase said. “(Bell) was here that first week (of offseason workouts), and we got a lot of good information that week to him.”
Gase also said players who don’t attend can stay on top of things remotely with their iPad playbooks. The Jets will conduct their first official practice on May 21, but that, too, is voluntary. The first mandatory event is their second minicamp, starting June 4.
The Jets signed Bell this offseason to a four-year, $52.5 million deal that includes $27 million in fully guaranteed money.
Desperate to add playmakers on offense to help second-year quarterback Sam Darnold, the Jets made Bell the focal point of their offseason game plan on offense. They also signed wide receiver Jamison Crowder and traded for former Pro Bowl guard Kelechi Osemele.
The Associated Press and ESPN’s Rich Cimini contributed to this report.