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You really need to read the words carefully.
Today at the Combine in Indianapolis, Jets GM Joe Douglas was asked about the Le’Veon Bell trade rumors
“There hasn’t been talk about him going anywhere,” Douglas said. “We’re excited about Le’Veon. I can’t tell you how great he’s been. I had a great conversation with him at the end of the season. I know he’s been working hard down in Miami. We’re excited to get him back. We’re excited to have him here.”
Some people write or say after reading this – “Douglas shuts down Bell trade rumors.”
Not necessarily.
I think you need to look closely at the last three sentences.
Read the tea leaves here folks. Douglas mentions how hard he’s working in Miami and then mentions they are “excited to get him back” and “excited to have him here.”
Douglas needs to be careful with his words to avoid landing in the crosshairs of the union. You can’t demand that players attend the voluntary off-season workout program.
As Douglas attempts to build a strong football culture, he clearly wants the running back to be in Florham Park, with his teammates, with his young quarterback, for the team’s off-season program, which lasts about three months.
If Bell, can’t pull away from South Florida for three months of his life, to bond with his teammates, and work on offensive chemistry, what’s up with that?
We are talking about three months of his life at the age of 28. In a few years, he will have all the free time in the world to be in South Florida, year-round, 24/7, to enjoy his leisure and his treasure. And all the power to him when that day comes. He earned it.
But if he can’t be bothered to join his teammates for three months, to help the team improve their culture and chemistry (on- and off-the-field}, Joe D might need to move on.
What kind of message does it send to the young players when your offensive bell cow can’t be bothered to show up to be with them?
So don’t think for one second that Douglas’ comment today shuts the door on a trade. He clearly wants to see how Bell handles the off-season before making a decision.
And bashing Bell right now is bad for business.
Somebody from the team criticized the running back’s conditioning last year to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
Cimini tweeted recently that the Jets felt Bell, “gained weight and lost explosiveness, as the season went on.”
How does this tweet help the Jets if they do indeed look to trade Bell?
You always want to bargain from a position of strength, not weakness.
For somebody to tell the Cimini this, doesn’t help the Jets.
It makes it look like they are fed up with him, so if Bell doesn’t show up, and trade talks heat up, another team can use this against the Jets.
So what Douglas is doing is smart. He consistently takes the high road when talking Bell, never saying a negative word.
Whomever the source of Cimini’s information should probably do the same thing.
Bashing him right now will not help his trade value.
And if he blows off the off-season again, trading the player is a possibility.
February 25, 2020
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