Report: Le'Veon Bell expected to return in Week 5

CINCINNATI — New York Jets star Le'Veon Bell is expected to return to the field in Week 5 according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Bell, 28, was placed on injured reserve after the Jets' Week 1 loss to the Bills due to a hamstring injury. He's eligible to return to the 53-man roster next week and is expected to play against the Cardinals.

Bell ran for 789 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games for the Jets last season. His 3.2 yards-per-carry was a new career-low. He also had 66 receptions for 461 yards and one score as a receiver.

Bell is still a high-end player and the Jets are in desperate need of talent on offense. Fourth-year quarterback Sam Darnold has struggled this season. Getting back a top-flight back like Bell would certainly help his cause.

There has been plenty of talk about Adam Gase's future with the club. The Jets are set to play the Broncos at home on Thursday night. That could be a must-win for the second-year head coach, who is undoubtedly on the hot seat.

Quarterback Brett Rypien will make his first career start for the Broncos. He signed with Denver as an undrafted free agent in 2019.

For more on the Jets and the rest of the NFL, listen and subscribe to the Locked on NFL podcast. Tony Wiggins and I discuss Gase's future, plus the COVID-19 outbreak in the Titans organization and so much more on our latest show. Listen to the podcast here.