Le'Veon Bell's $8M injury guarantee a major reason Jets released him?

Le'Veon Bell was released by the New York Jets on Tuesday. While he was disgruntled with his situation in New York, that might have been only one of the reasons for his release. 

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, one significant reason why the Jets released Bell was the $8 million injury guarantee in his contract for 2021. If the running back suffered a long-term injury, the Jets would've had to pay out $8 million next season when they have been trying to cut salary across the board. 

Rather than trying to trade him ahead of the Nov. 3 deadline and potentially recoup a draft pick, the Jets' decision to release him was smart. Schefter adds that any type of injury to Bell could've led to a dispute between him and the Jets over the $8 million guarantee. 

Since signing a four-year, $52.5 million deal with New York last year, Bell had been a major disappointment for the club. He averaged just 3.3 yards per carry, which ranks 51st out of 53 qualifying runners in the NFL during that span.

Despite the numbers, Bell landed a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he'll likely form a solid duo alongside rookie Clyde-Edwards Helaire. 

The Jets still are responsible for the remaining $6 million on Bell's 2020 base salary. However, there is an offset clause that will reduce it by the amount of the salary on his new contract with the Chiefs. The 28-year-old will have a $1 million base salary with up to $1 million extra in incentives on his deal with Kansas City.