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The same probably applies to Le’Veon Bell.
People wonder if Bell will be back with the Jets in 2020.
The announcement that NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport made about Odell Beckham’s future in Cleveland, likely applies to Bell. This is what Rapoport announced on Sunday:
“From Super Bowl Live: The #Browns want to move forward with WR Odell Beckham Jr, but how present he is this offseason and for OTAs may go a long way in determining that,” Rapoport said.
This probably applies to Bell with the Jets.
If Bell doesn’t show up for their off-season program, this could lead to the Jets moving on, perhaps with a trade. Now, they can’t say this would be reason publicly. Why? Because off-season workouts are voluntary, aside from the three-day mandatory minicamp. And if a coach or GM is critical of players not attending, they can be fined. The union goes crazy over this issue. They negotiated that these workouts at voluntary in the off-season, so teams have no right, in the union’s world view, to criticize players for not attending.
So you have to be passive aggressive on this issue if you are coach or GM, and be very, very careful with how you handle the semantics, but somehow let it be known that it’s import to you that the player attends.
As we mentioned in the latest issue of JC, when Joe Douglas was asked about Le’Veon Bell’s future with the Jets, he said, “We value Le’Veon. We value the competitor. We value the teammate. We’re excited for him being in our program another year, going through the off-season again.”
Notice he said, “Going through the offseason again.”
Interesting word usage.
When did he go through it the first time?
So was this a way for Douglas to get his point across in a way that can’t get him in trouble with the union?
Since he wasn’t here for most of the Jets off-season last year, this quote is quite interesting.
In my opinion, it was a good way to send a message without getting in trouble with the union.
It’s a pretty vague statement. He didn’t say he wants him here, as opposed to the player blowing off the program last year. Douglas kind of pretended that Bell was in the program last year, and just wants a repeat performance.
However you want to view the semantics, you are living in a parallel universe if you think Douglas is okay with Bell missing another off-season.
Douglas wants to build a strong football culture with the Jets.
Having one of your best players, one of your most high-profile, players blow off the off-season program his first two years, sends a bad message to the team, especially the young players.
If Bell definitely wants to be around with the Jets in 2020, he should eschew the self-indulgence of wanting to be the South Florida, and show up the for the Jets’ off-season program. Heck, it’s just a few months of one year of his life. What is the big deal?
But I do believe what Rapoport announced about Beckham, who blew off his first off-season program with the Browns last year, applies to Bell, who blew off his first off-season with the Jets last year.
Perhaps I’m old school, but missing your first off-season with a brand new team in a brand new system, flies in the face of my sensibilities.
Maybe I’m wrong.
February 3, 2020
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