Bell received strong offer from 49ers before taking Jets' deal, agent says

The San Francisco 49ers made a strong offer to Le'Veon Bell before the running back agreed to sign with the New York Jets, Bell's agent, Adisa Bakari, told NFL Network's Maurice Jones-Drew.

Bell reportedly accepted a four-year, $52.5-million offer from the Jets around midnight Wednesday, ending months of speculation about where he'd land in free agency.

A laundry list of teams was linked to Bell, but the Oakland Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, and Indianapolis Colts were rumored to be the most serious contenders for his services.

The 49ers signed running back Jerick McKinnon in free agency last year, though he suffered a season-ending knee injury before the campaign commenced. McKinnon is expected to be healthy entering the 2019 season.

Bell sat out all of last season after refusing to sign the franchise tag handed to him by the Pittsburgh Steelers for the second straight year. The 27-year-old earned three Pro Bowl selections in five years with the Steelers.