Ever since running back Le’Veon Bell arrived in New York, it seems like there’s been trade rumors surrounding him. After a subpar first year with the Jets, reports suggesting Bell could be a on the trade block are once again surfacing.

It’s completely fair for fans to be skeptical about Bell moving forward. He just didn’t look like himself last season. Whether it’s because he took an entire year off from football or because the Jets had a horrible offensive line last season is up for debate, but his decline in productivity is a bit alarming nevertheless.

With all that being said, the Jets should stay put with Bell for at least one more season.

For starters, his massive contract is going to make any trade discussion difficult. Bell signed a four-year $52.5 million deal last offseason, which includes $13 million in guarantees for 2020.

Unless the Jets are willing to eat some of that guaranteed money, a trade just wouldn’t make sense. Not to mention the fact that New York is unlikely to get anything significant back for Bell.

At 28-years-old and fresh off his worst year of his professional career, how are the Jets supposed to sell that to any trade partner? Teams usually shy away from running backs approaching 30 years of age, especially if they’ve had a decline in production like Bell has.

All hope isn’t lost for the Jets, though. Keeping Bell around could end up paying off in the long run. Acquiring some solid offensive line talent through free agency and the draft will likely be the team’s top priority this offseason, which will only make Bell better and more comfortable in Adam Gase’s offense

It’s hard to predict where Bell’s career will go from here. Was last year just an aberration, or is it a sign of what’s to come? No one really has the answer.

Regardless, the Jets would be smart to hold off on trying to trade their prized running back this offseason.