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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.
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.
