Le'Veon Bell Trade Rumors: Jets Don't Plan to Move RB Before 2019 NFL Deadline

The New York Jets were reportedly looking to trade running back Le'Veon Bell less than eight months after signing him to a four-year, $52.5 million deal in free agency, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.

However, Albert Breer of the MMQB noted New York had not received any calls on the three-time Pro Bowler as the 2019 trade deadline neared:

Connor Hughes of The Athletic added the Jets were not actively shopping Bell, but they were listening to offers and their price was reportedly "high":

Adam Schefter of ESPN followed up and reported the Jets do not plan to move Bell barring a last-second change.

Bell spent the first five years of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers but elected to sit out the entirety of the 2018 campaign rather than play under the franchise tag for the second consecutive year. Though that decision cost him a year of football, he wound up securing the long-term deal that he had been seeking.

Bell's contract includes $27 million in guaranteed money. He carries a $9 million cap hit for 2019, per Spotrac.

His tenure in the Big Apple has been shaky from the start. Mehta reported in May that first-year Jets coach Adam Gase "absolutely did not want to sign Le'Veon Bell," preferring not to invest big money in a running back. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network noted Gase "liked" Bell as a player, just not at the price tag.

Meanwhile, his numbers are not quite on the level they were at in Pittsburgh.

Bell has rushed for just 349 yards and one touchdown in seven games with 3.2 yards per carry and 49.9 yards per game. He has remained effective in the aerial attack, however, hauling in 32 receptions for 187 yards and one score.

Bell's arrival has not brought the wins New York had hoped for when it signed the star running back. The Jets are just 1-6 on the season, though some of their struggles can be attributed to quarterback Sam Darnold missing three games due to mono.