Le'Veon Bell

[hawaiiansteel]

Jets DT tried to convince Le'Veon Bell to attend OTAs

By Kevin Patra
Around the NFL Writer
Published: May 30, 2019

Le'Veon Bell is exercising his right to skip voluntary offseason workouts with the New York Jets. Yet, coaches aren't the only ones who tried to convince the running back it would be good if he worked with his new teammates.

Jets defensive tackle Steve McLendon, who knows Bell from their three seasons playing together in Pittsburgh, said he tried to convince the running back to attend OTAs.

"I talked to him and I told him, 'You understand this place is different than Pittsburgh,'" McLendon said, via NorthJersey.com. "I said, 'You need to get back so you can understand the quarterback and the situation.' ... I told him, 'The media is gonna get you if you don't come back.' That's the truth. I did tell him that."

McLendon's main pitch to Bell was that getting to know Sam Darnold is paramount, and the experience would be different than the years spent with Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh.

"You just want to get to know your teammates, especially when we have a young quarterback," McLendon said. "He needs to know your rhythm, he needs to know how patient you are. It's easy to see on the film but it's so hard to prepare with because [Bell] is very dynamic in the things that he can do. Out of the backfield, in the backfield, lining up at wide receiver, he can do a lot of special things, and for me it's very amazing to have him on our team."

Bell has skipped all voluntary offseason workouts since signing with the Jets, instead choosing to work out on his own with a trainer he knows who can better monitor his conditioning.

While he attempted to get Bell into the building, McLendon admitted that in the grand scheme of things, the running back's absence isn't a huge deal.

"I know there's been a lot of people saying, 'Why is he not here? Because he was paid,'" McLendon said. "Listen, man, he's not an All-Pro, Pro Bowl running back for no reason. Sometimes people prepare differently. Would we love him here? Yes. But when he comes here and he's rocking and rolling and helping us get to where we want to go this season, ain't nobody going to be thinking about it. And I know I'm not."

The veteran defensive lineman added that Bell wouldn't show up for mandatory minicamp next week out of shape.

"One thing that I can say about Le'Veon, he's going to be in extremely good shape," McLendon said. "He's going to be in some good shape. He always has been and I don't see that changing. His physical condition [exceeds] anything else. And I know that. He trains hard."

The Jets hold mandatory minicamp from June 4-6, when Bell is finally expected to join his teammates on the practice field.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001032363/article/jets-dt-tried-to-convince-leveon-bell-to-attend-otas

[Oh wow]

I really hate this OTA attendance update we get every offseason.

The media goes on and on and I really can’t remember a season where an absence was detrimental to a team or referenced as a reason a team wasn’t up to par once the season started.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I really hate this OTA attendance update we get every offseason.

The media goes on and on and I really can’t remember a season where an absence was detrimental to a team or referenced as a reason a team wasn’t up to par once the season started.

If you are established on a team, it shouldn't make too big a difference if you work out elsewhere as long as you show up to the mandatory work in the proper shape to perform well.

However, if you are new to a team, it makes sense to attend the voluntary OTA sessions to pick up the new offensive or defensive system prior to training camp.

[hawaiiansteel]

[AzStillers1989]

Sheesh looks terrible lol

[Oh wow]

If you are established on a team, it shouldn't make too big a difference if you work out elsewhere as long as you show up to the mandatory work in the proper shape to perform well.

However, if you are new to a team, it makes sense to attend the voluntary OTA sessions to pick up the new offensive or defensive system prior to training camp.

I’ve never heard a team suffer because of an absence during OTA’s in May.

It’s great for the media and obsessed football fans to talk about and try and turn into something but it’s not a big deal.

No one is going to point to OTA’s a week from now once minicamp starts and day it made a difference in the offense or defense.

[Buzz]

I’ve never heard a team suffer because of an absence during OTA’s in May.

It’s great for the media and obsessed football fans to talk about and try and turn into something but it’s not a big deal.

No one is going to point to OTA’s a week from now once minicamp starts and day it made a difference in the offense or defense.

If OTA's are as unimportant as you say they are, then why do they have them?

[Oh wow]

If OTA's are as unimportant as you say they are, then why do they have them?

For players who want to be there. It’s primarily for younger players who want:need to get up to speed.

If it was really important it would be mandatory.

It’s part of the CBA. There is no punishment for missing OTA’s.

[RuthlessBurgher]

It’s primarily for younger players who want:need to get up to speed.

Or for players who are new to a team. You'd think it would be important for them to get up to speed in a new situation.

[Oh wow]

Or for players who are new to a team. You'd think it would be important for them to get up to speed in a new situation.

and I repeat.

No one will care about this in a week or 2 wants minicamp starts.

It’s June 3rd.

The only reason it’s an issue is because the media gets access to the team and tried to turn it into a story.

Happens every year and once camp starts it’s long forgotten.

[RuthlessBurgher]

It's not a big deal that Tom Brady doesn't attend OTA's. He knows the system frontwards and backward already and will arrive to training camp in the shape he needs to be in. It wouldn't be a big deal if Bell or OBJ didn't attend OTA's either if they were still with the Steelers and Giants, respectively, but it's different when you go to a new team. Even though you are a professional and know how to keep your body in the proper shape to function throughout camp and into the season, every team has little things that you need to get accustomed to before actual camp starts.

Bush, Johnson, Layne, Snell, Gentry, Sutton, Buggs, Gilbert, and Gray will certainly get more out of OTA's than Roethlisberger, Foster, Hayward, Haden, Pouncey, DeCastro, Villanueva, Tuitt, and Williams. Those vets really don't need to be here (hence the voluntary nature), but I would expect new incoming vets like Nelson, Barron, and Moncrief to be here from the first day they are eligible to do so, in order to accommodate and adapt to the way that we do things here, which is likely quite different from what they are used to with the Chiefs, Rams, Bucs, Jags, or Colts.

[Oh wow]

It's not a big deal that Tom Brady doesn't attend OTA's. He knows the system frontwards and backward already and will arrive to training camp in the shape he needs to be in. It wouldn't be a big deal if Bell or OBJ didn't attend OTA's either if they were still with the Steelers and Giants, respectively, but it's different when you go to a new team. Even though you are a professional and know how to keep your body in the proper shape to function throughout camp and into the season, every team has little things that you need to get accustomed to before actual camp starts.

Bush, Johnson, Layne, Snell, Gentry, Sutton, Buggs, Gilbert, and Gray will certainly get more out of OTA's than Roethlisberger, Foster, Hayward, Haden, Pouncey, DeCastro, Villanueva, Tuitt, and Williams. Those vets really don't need to be here (hence the voluntary nature), but I would expect new incoming vets like Nelson, Barron, and Moncrief to be here from the first day they are eligible to do so, in order to accommodate and adapt to the way that we do things here, which is likely quite different from what they are used to with the Chiefs, Rams, Bucs, Jags, or Colts.

The whole “if they truly cared” they would be here is overblown.

[NorthCoast]

In some cases I think it's a symptom of 'me' attitude in a player.
Also, with the CBA limiting so many aspects of preseason the importance I think is increasing. Especially for a team like the Steelers with a mix of vets and youngsters. All about the team building.

[Steel Maniac]

In some cases I think it's a symptom of 'me' attitude in a player.
Also, with the CBA limiting so many aspects of preseason the importance I think is increasing. Especially for a team like the Steelers with a mix of vets and youngsters. All about the team building.

I agree ; shows an “ all in” mentality by everyone early on

[Steel Maniac]

Le’Veon Bell: I picture this scheme being amazing for me
Posted by Josh Alper on June 4, 2019, 2:00 PM EDT



Le'Veon Bell got his first taste of practice with the Jets as they opened their mandatory minicamp on Tuesday.

Jets head coach Adam Gase said before the session that the team would be “selective” with Bell’s workload after he skipped voluntary work this offseason. Reporters who attended the practice confirmed that was the case as Bell saw limited reps in team drills.

After the session, Bell said he likes what he’s seen of Gase’s scheme thus far. He said he pictures “this scheme being amazing for me” and that it offers him even more opportunities than he had with the Steelers. Bell also said that his relationship with Gase is “great” when asked about reports that Gase thought the Jets gave Bell too big a contract in free agency.

The Jets will close out their offseason program with more organized team activities next week, but Bell will not be with them as he will resume working out on his own during those voluntary practices. He said he will “definitely be ready” for training camp and he’ll presumably be given more to do on the practice field once he shows that’s the case.