After a trade failed to come to fruition earlier this week, the New York Jets opted to waive running back Le’Veon Bell, a marriage between player and team that never quite worked out after the Jets gave him a $52.5 million deal. It didn’t take long for Bell to find a new home, and as a result, he’s joining the defending Super Bowl champions.
Adam Teicher of ESPN reports that Bell will line up alongside Patrick Mahomes on the Kansas City Chiefs. Word had hit the Twittersphere earlier in the day that Bell was considering the Miami Dolphins, the Buffalo Bills, and the Chiefs as a potential home — perhaps not coincidentally, all three of those teams are the next three matchups for the Jets. Bell ultimately chose Kansas City, which plays New York during Week 8, and due to the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols, he will have to quarantine for the next five days, making him ineligible for the team’s game this coming week.
According to Teicher, Bell’s goal is to win a Super Bowl, and the Chiefs certainly know how to do that. Where they can use some help, though, is in the running game, where the team has a talented rookie in Clyde Edwards-Helaire but not a ton of depth. They also have not had a rushing touchdown by a back since their first game of the season. Bell would also, theoretically, help out the high-flying passing game.
Bell struggled carrying the ball this season for the anemic Jets offense, running the ball 19 times for 74 yards in two games. He also caught a pair of balls for 39 yards. Now, he’ll get the chance to find his form with the Chiefs, with are an AFC West leading 4-1 on the season.