By: Cody Molla

There are a few big name free agents left unsigned after the 2021 NFL Draft. Teams will be looking to add veterans to their team moving forward. One of those big names is Le’Veon Bell. Bell is a few years removed from posting elite numbers which made him the best back in the league from 2013-2017.

The Atlanta Falcons will need to replace 89% of their running back touches from the 2020 season. After being ranked 27^th in rushing yards per game last year with nearly 96 yards per game and only 13 rushing touchdowns the Falcons are letting go of Todd Gurley, Ito Smith, and Brian Hill.

An addition of Bell to the Falcons would help the running back group currently with the Falcons as well as give Bell a chance to prove he’s still got the talent to make plays and be productive.

At age 29 Bell is likely not the feature back he once was. As the NFL has moved to a multi-back system this is beneficial for Bell. He can be productive as a compliment. Bell has only played 26 games since 2017. He’s eclipsed over 1000 rushing yards in that span with five rushing touchdowns and chipped in a touchdown on 600 yards receiving.

Bell signed with the Chiefs midway through the season last year. At the time the Chiefs were Super Bowl favorites and the addition of Bell sent the league into fury. Bell struggled in his nine games as a Chief. It is with this recent play that leaves the jury undecided on his NFL future.

Earlier this week Falcons running back coach Desmond Kitchings reported that it’s an open competition for snaps going into the off season workouts. Kitchings is making his NFL coaching debut this season. He is joining the staff of new head coach Arthur Smith after coaching in the NCAA ranks since 2004.

Kitchings has been a running backs coach for most of his career. When coaching at NC State from 2016-2018 he had three straight 1000 yard rushers. One of those being Nyheim Hines who has been productive in his NFL career thus far. Earlier in his career, he worked with Zac Stacy at Vanderbilt. Stacy nearly rushed for 1000 yards in a season in his rookie year at the NFL level. Kitchings also lead a heavy run attack at Air Force in 2011, which averaged over 300 rushing yards per game.

Arthur Smith is coming from a team with a heavy run game led by bulldozer Derrick Henry. Smith is likely going to want to establish the run to set up plays for Matt Ryan and a talented group of pass catchers including Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and top draft pick Kyle Pitts.

The Falcons current running back situation is not glamorous. They added Mike Davis and Cordarrelle Patterson via free agency. After not drafting a running back in the draft they signed undrafted players Javien Hawkins and Caleb Huntley. They also added Tony Brooks-James who has bounced around practice squads since 2019. The only returning Falcon in the running back room is Qadree Ollison who played 13 snaps in 2020.

Mike Davis is the favorite to be lead back in the offense. Davis is coming off a career year in which he filled in for McCaffrey for most of the season. Davis excelled in 2020. Davis surpassed 1000 all-purpose yards last season. Watching Davis last year the thing that stood out to me was the ability to extend plays and run through tackles. Davis can catch passes and make plays versus linebackers in the receiving game too. Even though Davis is likely to be the lead back he is not a feature back in the NFL.

The pairing of Bell and Davis could be a solid group for the Falcons. Both have similar abilities. This would add depth to the position and allow for the offense to be run all the time with no predictability pending the personnel.

The addition of Cordarrelle Patterson doesn’t impress or really add a true running back to the offense. Adding Bell would make him the lead complement back. Pattersons role is likely to be a return guy and see a handful of plays designed for him throughout the game. Patterson is still working on his transition from receiver to running back. Patterson has unique talent with size and speed that can produce homerun plays.

The other guys in the room will likely be on the outside looking in. The Falcons hope one can emerge similar to James Robinson for the Jaguars last year. A sleeper player and dark horse candidate to get offensive touches in the backfield is Avery Williams. Williams is a rookie CB drafted out of Boise St. Unknown to many Williams tied the NCAA record for return touchdowns in a career last season, with nine total. Six of those have come via punt including the record tying one.

The Falcons running back situation isn’t ideal and there is a need for another back. There is no way the Falcons go into the season with Patterson being the ideal running back two. Le’Veon Bell is a bit of a wildcard right now but his history has proven he is capable to be a playmaker and boost an offense. The ability to be patient and make guys miss in tight windows combined with his receiving skills makes him a fit for the Atlanta Falcons.

It would be wise for Bell to join the falcons as they have a lot of talent on offense. Teams will have a lot to cover and scheme for against a talented offense that can provide an opportunity to produce. The open competition means Bell could also win a starting job and see ample touches as the lead in a multi-back system. These opportunities combined with a staff that has shown the ability to generate a run game with many different players is a good fit for Bell. He can be acquired for a team friendly price and if he proves he still has it can set up the later part of his career in the NFL.  

The post Why The Falcons should sign RB Le’Veon Bell appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Ravi Krishnan (Twitter: @masalaESPN)

One of the most ironic aspects of Super Bowl LV is that Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell will finally be in a Super Bowl. Two of the biggest superstars in the NFL for the past decade or so, Bell and Brown were widely reckoned (along with their QB Ben Roethlisberger) as the Killer Bs that would propel the Pittsburgh Steelers to be the team of the 2010s. Instead, both had acrimonious exits and ended up in a series of unfortunate circumstances and dumb decisions, before landing in situations leading them to the promised land (almost).

Given their legacy of productivity, it is not a surprise that Bell and Brown are in the Super Bowl. What is ironic is that they will be facing off against, rather than playing with, each other. Neither of them is the alpha-player on his team, nor is either fully healthy. In fact, based on these reasons, there is a scenario wherein one or both might not get to see the field on Sunday. Which, in itself, is a travesty of wasted talent.

Notwithstanding what happens on Sunday, both Bell and Brown will be looking for new teams in the off-season; in today’s piece, I will focus on Le’Veon Bell. While he has been barely mediocre in his stint with the Chiefs this season, his past track record is still impregnable — he had close to 4000 yards in 2016 and 2017, and even his down year with the putrid Jets in Jets netted 1400+ all-purpose yards!  He is the true testament of the prototypical modern Running back (RB) as a rusher and pass-catcher, and this augurs well for his potential as a contributor at least for the next 3-5 years. So, based on that, here is my take on three teams that might find it wise to take a flyer on Bell in the off-season.

Miami Dolphins

Incumbent: Myles Gaskin, Matt Breida

In a recent interview, Bell admitted that his choice came down to the Chiefs or the Dolphins after being cut by Jets mid-season. During the off-season, the Dolphins are likely to emerge as an attractive option yet again. At worst, there is the potential of Tua to make significant improvements, multiple first-round picks in the draft, a top-ten Defense that would keep one end going, and a solid coaching regime. In a best-case scenario, the Dolphins might actually win the lottery, a.k.a the DeShaun Watson sweepstakes. The Dolphins offensive game plan hinges a lot on the RB to catch passes, and while Myles Gaskin was impressive in this role in 2020, Bell offers an entirely different dimension of excellence. In my mind, Bell to the Dolphins would be the optimal result for both the player and the team.

Atlanta Falcons

Incumbent: Todd Gurley, Ito Smith, Brian Hill

Not as optimal would be a move to the Falcons. A team far removed — in talent and in results — from the conference-winning outfit that reached the Super Bowl a few years back, Atlanta is in desperate win-now mode in 2021. The window for Matt Ryan and Julio Jones is closing fast, and while the new coaching regime has issued its ongoing commitment in the veterans, the patience might not run long unless the team turns it around quick. One of its immediate needs is to bolster its backfield. Gone are the days of DeVonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman running amok in the NFC, making the Falcons among the leaders in rushing yards. Their experiments with Todd Gurley, Brian Hill and Ito Smith have failed miserably. And that is where a proven stud like Bell will make a difference. For the Falcons, the RB need not be a difference maker — that is a role reserved for its elite WR duo of Julio and Ridley. However, the RB needs to be able to create space for the WRs, exploit the usually open middle-of-the-field, and take pressure off Ryan on third-downs. So, basically, check, check and check for Lev Bell in regard to his core strengths. A Bell-Falcons marriage would, therefore, not be a surprise. For the player, the stats might not reach his erstwhile peaks; for the team, though, Bell might be a great addition as a valuable contributor.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Incumbent: James Conner, Benny Snell

Last but not the least, why not a return to the Steelers? Irrespective of the unpleasant manner of Bell’s departure, everyone in Pittsburgh would agree that things have just not been the same without #26. James Conner flashed briefly but has been unable to show sustained productivity to be a bell-cow. Benny Snell is a JAG (Just Another Guy), and despite the hype, Anthony McFarland flattered to deceive. The Steelers window might be close to being shut already, but if not, this might be its last chance at relevance. In case Big Ben returns for one last foray, and if the Steelers can retain its impressive WR trio (Claypool, Johnson, JuJu), Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin might be willing to take a swing at signing Bell to take over his role as the mainstay in the backfield. Tomlin is a huge team culture guy, so this decision is likely to be much more about off-field considerations; however, if winning is an immediate charter, signing Bell might not be the worst idea.

The post Three Potential Le’Veon Bell Destinations in 2021 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.