Jets should not trade for Le’Veon Bell in 2018

Even though the New York Jets expressed interest in what it would take to trade for running back Le’Veon Bell of the Pittsburgh Steelers, they shouldn’t make such a big move this season.

While it would be amazing to have a running back of such a high caliber like Le’Veon Bell, it just wouldn’t be a wise decision for the New York Jets to make this season. Yes, Bell would bring a lot to the table and be a force to reckon with out of the backfield, but let’s take a look at what could be a nightmarish situation if such a trade became reality.

First off, Bell has been and will always be a hothead when it comes to things not going his way. He’s very vocal and if he isn’t a big part of an offensive game plan week in and week out, the coaching staff, his teammates, and especially the New York media will undoubtedly hear it. Bell is not one to keep his mouth shut when he’s unhappy about his role on offense.

Secondly, the Steelers are easily going to be looking for a big trade in order to move their star running back. They’ll probably want a draft pick or two or a high draft pick and a player to make such a trade happen. The Jets aren’t a playoff contender this year as they have a lot of areas of opportunity to address. What would bringing Bell into the mix truly accomplish? Their offensive line is terrible and the only offensive playmaker worth mentioning is wide receiver Quincy Enunwa.

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Rookie quarterback Sam Darnold has shown signs of brilliance but has already proved that he’s a work in progress who needs a lot more experience before he puts everything together. The Jets already have a very good rushing attack with Isaiah Crowell and Bilal Powell leading the way. If the Jets trade for Bell, they’d have to figure out how to make all these players work or trade one of them to make things work.

Finally, Bell would be with the Jets just for the remainder of this season and then hit free agency in next year’s offseason. What would be the point of bringing him in now when he’ll likely bolt via free agency and get a huge contract from an actual playoff-contending team? From a financial and business point of view, it would be a bad move for the Jets to make, especially if it means parting ways with valuable draft picks they’ll need to continue building for the future.

If the Jets truly want to have Bell be their featured running back for the next few years, they’d be better off waiting until free agency and going after him that way. They can offer him a pretty big long-term contract that would guarantee him being a focal part on offense moving forward. Darnold would be a year wiser and the two could be quite the tandem on offense that should win a lot of football games behind an upgraded offensive line.

For now, it just wouldn’t make any sense to make such a huge trade for a running back that would only be around for a few months. The Jets, if anything, need more draft picks to address their issues on the offensive line, pass rush, and even adding more offensive playmakers for the future. Giving up a lot now for Bell, for a team that likely won’t even make the playoffs this season, isn’t in the best interest for the Jets to make. It’s best to stay away from this entire Bell situation entirely.