The Lions released running back Joique Bell last week, but he says they offered him a chance to stick around before making the move.
Bell was set to make $2.5 million in salary during the 2016 season and was offered a chance to stay in Detroit at a lower number, but said he “ended up declining the offer” because he thought it was the best move for his career.
“There’s no bad blood between me and the Lions,” Bell said, via MLive.com. “They did what was best for the organization and I did what I thought was best for my family. You never know, I might end up back with the Lions, but I owe it to my family, I owe it to myself, I owe it to my hard work and dedication to test the market, so that’s what I’m doing.”
Bell had multiple surgeries last offseason and only got 90 carries in 13 games during the regular season. He averaged just 3.5 yards per carry on those touches, which isn’t the sort of production that guarantees a robust market so Bell’s decision might not work out all that well for a back turning 30 in August.