Bucs Signing Le’Veon Bell
December 21st, 2021
Bucs GM Jason Licht
Not only is Antonio Brown back this week, the Bucs are bringing in an old friend to keep him company.
NFL Network and SiriusXM NFL Radio voice Tom Pelissero was Twittering tonight that the Bucs are signing running back Le’Veon Bell if he passes a physical.
That would have a been a major “wow” in 2018 or 2019 when Bell was considered by many to be the most dangerous running back in the game. But Bell, 29, is not the same player he was. He’s been on street since the Ravens cut him in November.
After a failed run with the miserable Jets, Bell was on the street in 2020 before signing with the Chiefs. He did not have a touch in the Super Bowl.
So why are the Bucs signing Bell?
Is Leonard Fournette’s hamstring injury more serious than first thought? Were the Bucs discouraged by Ke’Shawn Vaughn looking lost in the headlights Sunday? Was this deal in the works when Giovani Bernard was lost with a bad hip?
Answers will come tomorrow when the Bucs resume practicing.
For those wondering, no, Bell was not in Pittsburgh when Arians was there as offensive coordinator.
Enjoy today’s Ira Kaufman Podcast! Ira Talks Offensive Decisions, Saints Hex, Sitting Healing Players, Godwin Injury And Its Impact, Playoff Preferences, Leftwich Future & more
December 21st, 2021 at 6:42 pm
Fornette out till playoffs
December 21st, 2021 at 6:43 pm
Ima smoke a bowl in his honor tonight.
December 21st, 2021 at 6:45 pm
Very low risk and an insurance policy! Kiddos to Licht for doing everything he can! Now cut Darden, he’s terrible on ST and WR.
December 21st, 2021 at 6:45 pm
Brady played terrible Sunday. Looked like a rookie. Wouldn’t surprise me if he continues to play poorly if he retired after this season.
December 21st, 2021 at 6:50 pm
Dew get real. Brady is a fighter. He has that next man up mentality. What needs to change is the coaching. They have to do their job and not get outcoached.
December 21st, 2021 at 6:53 pm
I can’t recall a Bucs team that was/is so decimated with injuries like what we are seeing this year.
It will take a miracle for us to win the Super Bowl.
Leveon Bell is a good signing to back up RoJo.
We win this next game I say they shut down the players they can like Brady, Gronk and others to let them rest and the Hell with seeding. At this point we need the players as healthy as possible more than a higher seeding. Your thoughts?
December 21st, 2021 at 6:55 pm
Bucfan i don’t see that way. I wanna avoid the packers until the nfc championship game and i sure don’t wanna play the rams. Bad matchup.
December 21st, 2021 at 6:55 pm
With Rojo “gassed” after a few small runs and Vaughn looking lost, might as well try another proven vet. Yes he ain’t the same player, but if Rojo can’t keep himself in shape, that pretty much tells you where his head is at, and you don’t need that from a starter that’s gonna be asked to carry a big load for the remainder of the season.
Brady ain’t going anywhere. He said 45. That dude hasn’t gotten where he’s at by giving up on his goals. I still think there is something wrong with him, like his finger or maybe shoulder, but dude isn’t just giving up because some comments from the pen and Mike club or some fans.
December 21st, 2021 at 6:57 pm
O-M-F-G! Is he staying with Tom and Tony Robbins?
December 21st, 2021 at 6:58 pm
They absolutely had to do this. Sunday night showed how huge the drop off is between Fournette and RoJo/Vaughn. Arians will hate to admit it but the Bucs and Brady passes to RBs a lot and Bell is an instant upgrade at that position.
This is what smart GMs do to win Super Bowls.
December 21st, 2021 at 7:01 pm
Gotta root for seattle in this game.
December 21st, 2021 at 7:04 pm
Dew
Get real dude. It was not Brady. It was every single player and coach for the offer Vance. The playcalling the game plan and the execution all sucked. And Brady is absolutely fine. One bad game for the entire offense
December 21st, 2021 at 7:06 pm
Fransisco, I don’t disagree with your comment but with the spate of injuries we have and especially the amount we came out of the Saints game makes me wonder and not care as much about seeding and more about being healthy.
We shall see but don’t be surprised if some players are sitting if we beat Carolina this Sunday.
December 21st, 2021 at 7:06 pm
Great sign.
He can catch and Rojo can run.
Vaughn has proven that he’s not long for the roster.
Bernard is gone for the year.
Fournette may be gone till the playoffs.
Had to do something
December 21st, 2021 at 7:07 pm
Is Brady feeling less protected recently? Seems that once he gets rattled his on field performance goes south. We believe in you Mr Brady! Let’s Gooooo!!!
December 21st, 2021 at 7:08 pm
Hoping this week it’ll be the Brady-Brown show!
December 21st, 2021 at 7:14 pm
I’m always skeptical when I see a signing like this, but in this case it makes perfect sense. Bell was a beast running behind Pittsburgh’s then very robust OLine (averaged over 1,000 yds/season in his 5 yrs as a Steeler), AND he was also great catching it out of the backfield for then (his career catch percentage is real close to 80% and he averaged well over 500 receiving yds per season as a Steeler).
Didn’t do all that much running the ball behind the Chiefs, Jets & Ravens OLines, but was still a productive receiver out of the backfield (caught 85% in his 2 yrs with the Jets). Assuming that Gio doesn’t make it back & that Lenny is out until at least the start of the playoffs, signing Bell makes good sense.
December 21st, 2021 at 7:14 pm
Is he good in the pass block? All I know was his amazing rushing with the Steelers and we didn’t get a lot of those games down here.
December 21st, 2021 at 7:15 pm
It’s time for Rojo to step up.
December 21st, 2021 at 7:19 pm
Good Lord… Even Le”Veon Bell in his prime wasn’t the best fit for the Buc O Line, but at this point beggars cannot be choosers.
Le’Veon Bell was a quality RB. He was an incredibly patient runner with Pittsburgh, in that he’d wait for the blocker(s) to develop holes for him. Great vision, anticipation, quick acceleration made him elite. The problem is that Le”Veon Bell won’t be getting run blocks like he once enjoyed with Pittsburgh; this Buc O Line is disappointing at developing between holes between the tackles.
I’m trying not to say he’s washed, but coaching staffs have been reluctant to use him since his NY Jets days. That too isn’t a good sign,
December 21st, 2021 at 7:21 pm
As little as Rojo has showed me in his time here, Vaughn has showed me even less. I’ve never seen a runner so frightened.
December 21st, 2021 at 7:24 pm
He is bound to be much better than our current 2 and 3 back. He may smoke rojo as well. He can catch and he can block. Only questions are how many snaps can he play and how many plays he can learn in a hurry.
December 21st, 2021 at 7:26 pm
I think he is a Gio Bernard replacement, nothing more nothing less
December 21st, 2021 at 7:27 pm
Bucs needed a receiving back.
December 21st, 2021 at 7:27 pm
Nothing to see here. In terms of usefulness Bell is on par with Vaughn if not worse. He will only be in whenever Rojo gets “gassed” because the Bucs need 12 players.
Bell is more likely to get knocked out by clown Jake Paul than break off a good run in a Bucs uniform
December 21st, 2021 at 7:35 pm
We only HAVE 2 running backs, and neither can catch. Bell at least USED to be able to do that
December 21st, 2021 at 7:36 pm
So Godwin & Bernard are done.
So LVD & Fournette are out until some point in the playoffs.
Evans is week to week.
Jamal Dean has something wrong with his head they can’t figure out.
JPP is an absolute shell of himself with a torn rotator cuff.
I strive to be optimistic but …. I’m going to be surprised if they win one game in the playoffs, depending on who they face.
December 21st, 2021 at 7:51 pm
Why isn’t this all over Twitter???
December 21st, 2021 at 8:04 pm
My guess is that Bell may be slow, but he’s reliable in all phases. He can pass block, he can catch, he can maybe run a little too. They’re down Lenny and Gio, and yeah, freaking Vaughan was in the game because the inky player worse than him at pass blocking is ROJO. so they’re down to this. He’ll be a “game manager” RB. I like it.
December 21st, 2021 at 8:05 pm
Desperate times….
December 21st, 2021 at 8:09 pm
While we’re signing dudes, and this is a good move by the way…..
Why not bring Larry Fitz in with all our boys decimated? You know Brady is already recruiting him. He hasn’t officially retired.
The know it all will say “he’s washed.” So is Sherm but he helps in so many other ways and he has two turnovers so not a total waste, and his mentoring of the young DBs is invaluable. He’d be a great slot option in 5wide.
December 21st, 2021 at 8:10 pm
Bell is a me-first selfish diva….
He used to have skills…unsure now…
It sucks that we’ve had to resort to getting a dude like this on our team. He pulls any crap, locker room will take care of it or else BA damn sure will….
December 21st, 2021 at 8:11 pm
Jones is an overpaid underperforming running out of bounds back.
December 21st, 2021 at 8:11 pm
Saints in all likelihood may have cost us the playoffs. I am hopeful of course and I think Gronk, Brown and Evans (when he comes back) will do their absolute best. But damn, we took an absolute beating at the Saints game. It’s kind of hard to look at all those injuries and think it was all pure coincidence. Legal hits? It appears so. Unnecessary or cheap? Idk. Looks like they intended to do as much damage as possible. But smarter people than I say it’s all fine. Sooo we shall see.
December 21st, 2021 at 8:13 pm
Two of the bests when they were in Pittsburgh. Do it again with the Bucs. AB dumbass with the fake vax, they need to pat down Bell every time he walks into OBP.
December 21st, 2021 at 8:14 pm
He looks like Sean Penn. That put on 200 pounds.
December 21st, 2021 at 8:18 pm
Why not? Watch him average 80 rushing/37 receiving 1.5 TD per game to finish the season.
Ronald McClown and his lazy ass will be C-U-T if that happens. RoJo has blown his chance and the film makes him radioactive.
December 21st, 2021 at 8:42 pm
Lenny will do everything in his power to help Bell, and in the process give him appropriate attitude adjustment. Brady and the others won’t let him be a d!ck with ears.
December 21st, 2021 at 8:49 pm
Sampson i don’t se a dominant offense in the nfc this year. Dak has been lousy lately. Maybe that’s why they still have a shot of players step up.
December 21st, 2021 at 8:52 pm
I just hope they don’t resurrect clam newton’s career on sunday. The guy is terrible.
December 21st, 2021 at 9:09 pm
RoJo was our rb1 last year. Averaged 5.1 ypc. Damn near 1000 yards then got Pipped after getting the China flu. Also caught 37 passes. And had 7 tds. Bucs will be fine running the ball if Leftwhich gets his sh*t together.
December 21st, 2021 at 9:11 pm
Now what WR is available. Darden is a joke and exactly how good is AB’s foot?
December 21st, 2021 at 9:14 pm
I just read the Adam Schefter is reporting that DL Patrick O’Connor is done for the year too with a torn PCL and MCL.
That makes 5 players that the saints took out. That is a Dirty Assed team.
December 21st, 2021 at 9:29 pm
Next time the Bucs play the Saints we should take Kamara out, amongst others.
December 21st, 2021 at 9:44 pm
Will we see a break out from Perriman late again? I sure as hell hope so
December 21st, 2021 at 10:01 pm
It’s over. We will be limping into the postseason, and the offense has started to look like its running out of gas. And we know have to rely on Bell who is a shell of his glory days, and Antonio Brown who hasn’t played since mid-October.
It’s not the trajectory of a Super Bowl team. You can’t be looking to “turn it around” in mid-December. That’s bad. Lose one more game, and we will likely have the 4th seed, playing Arizona or LA in round one and then having to go to Green Bay with them coming off the bye.
These 2 Saints losses were catastrophic…and likely ended the bid to repeat.
December 21st, 2021 at 10:06 pm
Dream came thru for ROjo. Best case scenario for him and if he repeats what playoff lenny did. Rojo will be crown rolling playoff rojo
December 21st, 2021 at 10:31 pm
Cry a f’n river. It’s football baby! Man up or shut up! Go Bucs!
December 21st, 2021 at 10:34 pm
We as fans have to re-embrace that “just get to the dance” mindset. Last season was a dream come true. It can’t always be like that. We’re still talking playoffs and not the draft. We still have Brady, not Glennon. These are still brighter days. We still have just as much of a chance as the other playoff teams. Been a crappy few days but it’s better than a crappy decade. Go Bucs!
December 21st, 2021 at 10:35 pm
Should sign Big Ben too!
December 21st, 2021 at 10:49 pm
I can.
It was 2003, the season after we won the Super Bowl… Sound familiar?
That has always been the way to beat Brady. I just think at this current age he now goes turtle even faster than previously.
Which only further highlights how important the run game is to him. Which makes Byron’s decision to only pass the entire first quarter even more maddening, especially when facing a team with a fierce pass rush who we always get down to early in games under this current coaching staff (forcing us to pass even more)…
But sure, keep doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results… I think there is a name for that…
December 21st, 2021 at 11:01 pm
Its all football. Injuries. Execution.
I do think licht has to sign a LB and DE to replace o connor and minter in special teams.
December 21st, 2021 at 11:17 pm
Bell can definitely help in the passing game.
December 21st, 2021 at 11:35 pm
Too many newbie Joebucsfan posters….
December 22nd, 2021 at 1:49 am
As with a lot of things of course the way to get Brady is pressure him and get him rattled but the same could be said of any and every QB. Again, the Saints didn’t provide a blueprint. That’s ignorant. Does anybody think it would take 15 weeks into the season before magically the hex against us is found? No. We had big guns go down whether or not the Saints were bounty hunting. Lefty was blindsided and clearly not prepared to adjust. It showed. That’s not good enough. Now, Lefty has his chance to right the ship.
December 22nd, 2021 at 5:18 am
I think bringing in Bell would be great as we just lost Godwin. Antonio Brown and Brady can work with him- just have to get him to 100% before the playoffs. NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT OUR KICKER!!!! If he didn’t miss that FG than it wouldn’t have been a blow out against the SAINTS! Still a loss but what is going on with him???!!! The SAINTS kicked a 41 yard FG and made it in that game and our guy CHOKED!!!??? A 30 YARD CHIP SHOT! I could tell before he kicked it that it was going to be BAD… he didn’t line up right! At Home & only 30 yards out….there’s no excuse!!! SUCCUP IS MORE LIKE A HICCUP!!!
December 22nd, 2021 at 5:29 am
Brady NEEDS PROTECTION!!!! HE GOT HIT ALMOST EVERY PLAY! Had no time to do anything- THAT IS HOW WE NEED TO PLAY!!! HAVE TO GO AFTER THE QB…..the SAINTS QB had a bad finger and still beat us!!!??? STOP THE QB AND THE GAME IS OVER FOR THE OPPOSING TEAMS! Too busy blocking other players- WHEN A QB HAS TIME TO LOOK SIDE TO SIDE 3 TIMES AND MAKE RUNS TOO …….THERE’S A PROBLEM THERE!!! DEFENSE NEEDS TO GET TO THE QB FASTER! We need to play other teams like the SAINTS played us!!!!
December 22nd, 2021 at 5:53 am
Bell is a good signing. There are tons of good reasons, even if he isn’t the same player.
It says a LOT about the trust, or lack of, in the RBs on the roster.
December 22nd, 2021 at 8:10 am
Worst move the team could make. Don’t bring this loser on our team. I give up. No way they go to the Super Bowl with this loser on the team.
December 22nd, 2021 at 8:11 am
We all know Bell can catch at least
December 22nd, 2021 at 8:15 am
He’ll be sitting next to Sherman on the sideline collecting a paycheck for doing nothing. This is a sad commentary on Jason Licht. Why does he not have capable players on the P.S. who can come in and step up? Why when we lose a player we have to dig some old vet up out of the graveyard. We have young players who’ve been with the team, let youth be served. Give them a chance over washed up players like Bell, and Sherman. If they suck so bad they shouldn’t be on the P.S..
December 22nd, 2021 at 10:06 am
Sorry I like Vaughn. He’s quicker them all the backs and he gets yards. Ya I know he dropped the pass and didn’t look good on those plays but if you play him more he will produce. Funny Leftwich dropped the ball also he’s still calling the plays
December 22nd, 2021 at 10:36 am
Bell use to be an awesome player for Pittsburgh ,hopefully he can find what he use to have,and bring it to our team,cause Lord knows our offense needs HELP!
December 22nd, 2021 at 4:30 pm
Vaughn shows the goods in preseason and practice, but sh!ts the bed every time his number gets called in a real game.
Limited opportunities for sure, but that’s how it works for lower picks and UDFAs. Gotta make the most of it when you get the chance.
December 22nd, 2021 at 6:12 pm
L Bell is done he’s just picking up another check waste of time and money bringing him in !!