Jets running back Le’Veon Bell is capable of doing things on the gridiron that few others can.
Bell’s running style is unique, but that is not what sets him apart. Plenty of tailbacks are solid pass catchers out of the backfield and can occasionally line up as a wide receiver. Very few have mastered that skill as effectively as Bell, though.
Bell’s versatility makes him a dangerous weapon that Adam Gase will use in a variety of ways. Come September, Bell will be used in a variety of packages to keep opposing defenses off balance and constantly guessing what is to come out of New York’s offense.
“The defense isn’t sure if he’s going to be in the gun, offset, strong, weak,” Gase told reporters. “Is he going to be under center? Is he going to be split out wide? Is he going to be the single receiver? Is he going to be the empty? Is he going to be in the slot? There’s five different spots he can be in if we went in empty.
“If you’ve got a guy that can do all of those different types of things and he’s good at it and he’s able to catch the ball and run the routes like that, it makes it very difficult for the defense to defend. You start seeing coverages where they simplify it because you’re moving so many pieces around.”
Simplified coverages open up Gase’s playbook and his ability to get creative calling plays. It will also make life easier on Sam Darnold and his wide receivers, as defenses will be forced to account for Bell at all times.
Bell can create chaos by simply stepping on the field. You cannot say that about many players at his position. Gase is well aware of this and if Bell returns to elite form in 2019, there’s no telling how good New York’s offense could be next season.
“When you have that kind of flexibility it puts a lot of pressure on the defense,” Gase said. “It’s hard to cover everything.”
