Does Signing Le’Veon Bell Make the Chiefs Bigger Super Bowl Favorites?

Le’Veon Bell has signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, he announced on Twitter on Thursday night, ending the free agent’s saga after the high-priced running back’s release from the New York Jets. And he might have changed the power dynamic in the AFC at the same time.

Kansas City, #ChiefsKingdom, thank you for the opportunity 🙏🏾 let’s go! pic.twitter.com/6aEY9GaoA7

— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) October 15, 2020

Bell will join promising rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the backfield of the already 4-1 Chiefs, making the returning champions an even more dominant favorite to come out of the AFC West this season.

The Chiefs have just the No. 13 rushing attacking in the league while heavily riding rookie Edwards-Helaire, and Bell’s pass-catching prowess should be a perfect fit for Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy’s scheme.

Bell, 28, played in less than two seasons in New York after signing a free agent contract with the Jets in 2019. He held out the entirety of the 2018 season after rejected the Steelers’ second straight attempt to place a franchise tag on him, citing injury risk and the potential to be overworked.

Bell found the opposite problem in New York, where he grew disgruntled by a lack of opportunities in Adam Gase’s offense despite the Jets floundering as a team.

Now with the Chiefs, he appears to have a big role carved out, replacing Damien Williams, who opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, and working in alongside Edwards-Helaire.

That combination has made the Chiefs +430 to win the Super Bowl, according to Sports Betting Dime, shortened from +450 without him.

The Chiefs are coming off a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, and will have to play the Buffalo Bills on Monday without Bell as he undergoes five days of quarantine and testing before he can join the team.