The Jets offense took the field for the first time in 2019 on Tuesday, but one big piece was missing.
Running back Le’Veon Bell was not at the team’s minicamp. Like much of the offseason program, attendance was voluntary, but it was not a great look for Bell to be absent after signing his four-year, $52.5 million contract last month.
Bell had been a participant in the offseason workouts, which began two weeks ago. New Jets coach Adam Gase downplayed Bell’s absence.
“It’s voluntary. That’s what it is. That’s the CBA,” Gase said, referring to the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players.
“That’s the rules. He was here that first week and [we] got a lot of good information that week to him. The good thing is having the iPads and things like that, if the guy’s not here he can keep up on what we’re doing as far as the playbook goes.”
Bell sat out the offseason program in each of the past two years with the Steelers during contract disputes, so he is used to training on his own.
“He has a pretty good training regimen that he goes through,” Gase said. “I don’t remember the last time he had an offseason. It’s been a few years going through this type of stuff. He knows how to get his body ready for training camp and the regular season. He’s been doing this for a minute.”
LB Darron Lee was also missing from Tuesday’s practice. Gase said Lee has participated in previous offseason workouts.
There have been questions about Lee’s future with the Jets after the team signed C.J. Mosley. General manager Mike Maccagnan declined to answer a question about whether the team will pick up Lee’s fifth-year option. The deadline for that decision is May 3.