Getty Le'Veon Bell is unlikely to land with the 49ers.
The San Francisco 49ers had previously shown an interest in Le’Veon Bell, but it does not look like the team will pursue the running back now that he is once again a free agent. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan noted that “I’m good with all our guys” when asked about potentially pursuing Bell.
“I’m good with all our guys,” Shanahan noted, per 49ersWebZone.com. “So, even if Raheem wasn’t back, I don’t think that would change much. I think we’ve got pretty good depth, and I know we’re going to get Tevin back soon, too, hopefully. Raheem played (against the Miami Dolphins). I thought Raheem played great. I thought he was probably the best football player on the field on Sunday and wish we could have got the ball to him more, but you could tell he was ready to go.”
The Jets released the disgruntled running back after Week 5 as Bell returned from a hamstring injury. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Bell is looking to land with a team that will involve him in the offense.
“Le’Veon Bell prioritizing role in offense and chances to win among part of his free agency evaluation,” Fowler noted on Twitter. “Many people around league believe Chiefs will have an interest because of fit. Bell trains in Miami so perhaps Dolphins a consideration.”
The 49ers Pursued Signing Bell in 2019
Shanahan previously admitted that the 49ers pursued Bell in 2019 but things have changed for both parties. Raheem Mostert has emerged as a legit lead NFL running back, while Bell has now worn out his welcome with his second straight team. Back in 2019, Shanahan discussed the team’s pursuit of Bell during an interview on The Adam Schefter Podcast. Shanahan noted the team “got close” to signing Bell but ultimately landed Tevin Coleman after the running back opted for the Jets.
“The Le’Veon thing was very similar to the Tevin thing,” Shanahan explained, per 49ersWebZone.com. “That wasn’t something that we went in targeting. It kind of fell into us also. And when we realized we had the chance to get that, for something that we definitely didn’t expect, we got excited. I think it was a little bit more of a tease, which we went through a little bit because we didn’t plan to be in it. Then we got close, so we got somewhat excited; a little disappointed when it didn’t work out, but we ended up with Tevin the next day. That ended very fast for us. I was very pumped to end up with Tevin.”
Mostert Was Named to Pro Football Focus’ Team of the Week After Performance vs. Dolphins
Mostert was one of the few bright spots for the 49ers in Week 5 against the Dolphins. The running back had 11 carries for 90 yards along with three receptions for 29 yards.
Pro Football Focus named Mostert to their Team of the Week list as the top running back for Week 5. Shanahan is hoping the Niners rushing attack can get going now that Mostert is back on the field.
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