Le’Veon Bell Leaving Steelers to Sign With New York Jets

The yearlong saga ends with the running back getting four years and $52.5 million.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 02:  Le'Veon Bell of the Pittsburgh Steelers attends SiriusXM at Super Bowl LII Radio Row at the Mall of America on February 2, 2018 in Bloomington, Minnesota.  (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 02: Le'Veon Bell of the Pittsburgh Steelers attends SiriusXM at Super Bowl LII Radio Row at the Mall of America on February 2, 2018 in Bloomington, Minnesota. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
Getty Images for SiriusXM

The Giants just lost an offensive star, but their crosstown rivals just found one.

After sitting out last season because he couldn’t secure a long-term deal from the Pittsburgh Steelers, Le’Veon Bell has agreed to a four-year, $52.5 million contract with the New York Jets. With a max value of $61 million, the contract includes $35 million guaranteed.

Bell’s new average salary per year is $13.25 million, ranking him second among running backs behind Todd Gurley ($14.37 million average).

In Bell, the Jets now have a three-down back who can hopefully take some of the pressure off second-year quarterback Sam Darnold. Bell’s presence in the backfield should also theoretically open up some room down the field for deep threat Robby Anderson and new addition Jamison Crowder.

Despite the new deal and the new team, it remains to be seen whether sitting out a year of football – and losing millions in the process – will actually benefit Bell in the long run.

“Bell has forfeited a generous salary, one hard to come by at a position especially susceptible to the NFL meat grinder,” according to USA Today. “He took a stand … to eventually accept a marginally better arrangement in terms of guarantees, yet inferior in terms of average salary and total compensation — and worse still when factoring inflation and time value of money.”

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