Best bets on who signs Le'Veon Bell
Nick Foles signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars?
Antonio Brown landing with the San Francisco 49ers?
Kyler Murray drafted by the New York Giants?
Whether it's a free agent, a trade piece, or a draft-eligible youngster, we've already given our best recommendations for where certain players will start the 2019 season. Our latest case study is Le'Veon Bell, who will test the market after sitting out last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Here are our picks for his most likely destinations:
New York Jets (+411)
The Jets are our favorite to scoop Bell. They're one of the few teams that have both a clear need at running back and a Brinks truck they can back up to make the deal happen. The franchise has been quietly linked to Bell ever since his departure from Pittsburgh became likely during the 2018 season.
New York has an influx of average talent in the backfield, but nobody that's going to wow you. Significantly upgrading that position would be a good first step for new head coach Adam Gase as he helps the Jets forge an offensive identity.
It wouldn't make sense for New York to pluck a franchise quarterback in the first round of last year's draft and then not make an effort to build around him. The front office echoed that notion Wednesday.
With a player of Bell's caliber on the market, it's time to put up or shut up.
Houston Texans (+769)
Most of the clubs projected to land Bell are rebuilding, with clear needs and a boatload of money. But if there's one way for the star to get paid playing for contending team, it's with the Texans.
It's not a complete team by any stretch, but Houston has building blocks in place. It's just a matter of when the club truly wants to go for it.
Addressing the running back position isn't a dire need. Lamar Miller is a fine player, but he also doesn't offer as much upside as Bell, especially in the passing game.
If the Texans really want to take the next step and start separating from the rest of the AFC South, Bell would be a huge addition to take the offense from good to great.
Could you imagine a trio of Deshaun Watson, Bell, and DeAndre Hopkins? That's scary stuff.
Miami Dolphins (+819)
The Dolphins have hurdles to clear before even having a shot at signing Bell. For starters, the Ryan Tannehill experiment needs to end. It was reported in early February that Miami wants to cut ties with the veteran quarterback, which would save the team more than $13 million in cap space. That would be a good start, as Bell will almost certainly seek a significantly lucrative deal after missing out on $14.5 million last season.
Another weird angle to this saga is the report that Bell actually prefers to sign with the Dolphins. Perhaps there's a bias after spending his holdout there, or maybe he's enticed by the potential to boost his side hustle as a rap artist in a big-market city.
Whatever the case, even the slightest link with a price better than +800 deserves some attention.
Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.