Why are the Jets already trying to ‘lessen the load’ for Le’Veon Bell?

Should this be a concern regarding former Steeler Le’Veon Bell in New York?

After just one season?

The Jets are already talking about “lessening the load” for their $52.5 million running back. This despite the fact that Bell was the featured signing in New York prior to the 2019 season.

But, already, Jets head coach Adam Gase is talking about reining in the amount of touches for the team’s alleged cornerstone running back.

And his workload in 2019 already was far below his usual standards.

Here’s what Gase told ESPN’s “Flight Deck” podcast “I do think we have some guys that can help maybe lessen the load on [Bell] to where it’s not all on him.

“Hopefully, we can get some of the younger backs to where we can make a good one-two punch to where we can really excel instead of feeling like it’s just all on him all the time.”

Hmm. “All on him” is an interesting turn of phrase from Gase, given that the bulk of New York’s offensive attention wasn’t exactly on Bell as it had been in Pittsburgh during previous seasons.

Bell had 311 touches during the regular season last year. He had 406 in 2017, his last year in Pittsburgh. That followed 346 the year before that.

Not to mention 94 more attempts combined during the playoffs over those two seasons.

Gase is thinking that Bell could be helped by two downfield receivers in Breshad Perriman (free agency, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and second-round rookie Denzel Mims (Baylor).

It’s his theory that those two vertical options could take the eighth defender out of the box and open up running lanes for Bell.

In theory, though, that may actually lead to more touches for Bell. So is Gase’s goal to relax Bell’s burden? Or is it just to balance the offense better? Because, in that interview, he also talked about incorporating the likes of fourth-round draft choice Lamical Perine and backups Josh Adams and Kenneth Dixon.

In 2019, Bell never exceeded more than 87 yards on the ground in any game. And he averaged a scant 3.2 yards per carry.

Heading into the offseason, there was speculation that the Jets may have quickly soured on Bell’s talents and could’ve traded him if the right offer came along.

So don’t be surprised if this story is met with some skepticism from the “Gang Green” fanbase.

UPDATE: Late Tuesday morning, the Jets vision of how to “lessen the load” on Bell became more clear as they signed free agent running back Frank Gore.

Jets signing RB Frank Gore to one-year deal. (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/35VjW3qbRj

— NFL (@NFL) May 5, 2020

Gore has been in the NFL for 15 seasons. He is 34-years old.

Gase coached Gore when they were with the Miami Dolphins in 2018. He totaled 722 yards on 156 carries that season. He then went to the Buffalo last year and had 599 yards and two touchdowns for the Bills.

Gore is third all-time on the NFL rushing list with 15,347 yards. He’s 3,008 yards behind all-time leader Emmitt Smith.