Le'Veon Bell skips Jets' voluntary workouts

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CGI_Ram

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https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...-issue-according-to-one-former-steelers-star/

Why Le'Veon Bell skipping Jets' voluntary workouts may be an issue, according to one former Steelers star
Bryant McFadden explains what the Jets lost by not having Bell present

Le'Veon Bell may be a Jet, but he hasn't joined the team on the field yet. The running back didn't show up for voluntary workouts a few weeks ago, and this week he took to social media to defend his decision to skip some of the team's offseason workouts, too. While that in itself isn't bad -- voluntary is voluntary, after all -- it was valuable time that Bell lost building a rapport with his new squad.

The Jets are still young at quarterback with Sam Darnold at the helm, so Bell could bring his experience playing with Ben Roethlisberger to the fold. With that being said, Bell skipping out on voluntary workouts isn't shocking, and there's a good chance the Jets already knew his offseason plans.

Former Steelers cornerback Bryant McFadden joins CBS Sports fantasy expert Dave Richard, guest host for the vacationing Will Brinson, on the Pick Six Podcast to talk about optional minicamps and workouts, and what the Jets may have lost by not having Bell there.

"I think when you look at it from the team standpoint ... I think being there would've been beneficial," McFadden said. "Not just to Bell but to his new team."

"You've never taken a snap or caught a pass from Sam Darnold," he continued. "You don't know too much about your offensive line besides what you've seen on tape. So just being able to establish a relationship ... Not to mention getting into the playbook, dissecting the playbook ... He's a very smart guy ... But yet still this is new territory for him."

While it's on-brand for Bell, and players skipping workouts isn't necessarily an issue in and of itself, it's hard to walk in and know a team. Bell has the talent. But now he needs to get to know the pieces around him to maximize that talent.
 

wolfdogg

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With how things played out last season for bell and the fact that he's on a new team with a 2nd year qb, it would have been a better choice to be there.
 

Corbin

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Meh it's voluntary workouts, nothing crazy about not coming to them. Although it being his first year there that would be wise to showing up. Not sure if the offense playbook is much different than what he's used to or it's practically the same? To lazy to look up the O cord! lol
 

OldSchool

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Not a lot going on in these voluntary workouts. If he misses the upcoming camps there might be an issue. Hell we had two guys miss our first ones and some made a big deal about it. Then it turns out it was for a first child’s birth and other family events.
 

CGI_Ram

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Sure doesn’t look like a team player to me.

I mean, he basically had a year plus vacation... and he couldn’t spare a few days to help his new team?

Pretty lame.
 

Ram65

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How about finding out why he didn't show up?

I hope he is in some kind of training program because of missing a year of training and playing. Let's see what kind of shape he is in at OTAs. That will be very interesting.
 

Dxmissile

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People tend to forget that a football players body is his business literally. The guy shows up get injured then it’s a bigger issue. There is training camp practice and preseason for him to get acclimated with the team.
 

Akrasian

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People tend to forget that a football players body is his business literally. The guy shows up get injured then it’s a bigger issue. There is training camp practice and preseason for him to get acclimated with the team.

Of course it is. However, this does give possible insight into why the Steelers didn't want to give him a long term contract. Some players do seem to . . . relax a bit, shall we say, once they get paid. The fear is that Bell will pull a Haynesworth, rather than try his utmost to be an asset for the Jets.
 

Loyal

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Like CGI said, he's had basically a year off and he doesn't even show up for voluntary workouts? He could have just come and met some of the guys to show that he's interested in them, unless he isn't. Even AD had reports out of Pittsburgh showing his work outs at Pitt when he was holding out.Have we seen anything like that from Bell?

I'm glad he's not our team.
 

Juice

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Maybe he is out of shape and doesn't want the world to see it. Voluntary is voluntary though, guys, and I'm not comfortable telling a seasoned vet what to do in the offseason. If I was a Jet, would I want them there? Hell, yeah, but I am not one.
 

Loyal

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In a new job and you never get a second chance at a first impression for Jets fans. Showing up for work on time is good, but it's better to be 5 minutes early because your new boss might be a "if you are just on time, you're late" kind of guy. Coming early before the mandatory work outs when he is brand new to the team, vet or not, tells everyone something about him.

You can come to voluntary workouts just to meet and interact with players and coaches (if that's allowable). Naw, he doesn't have to come, but we'd all be lying if we said we didn't like the type a guy who would come in that situation. At least that's my opinion.