Bell won’t play til games count

Jets fans will have to wait until the regular season to see new running back Le’Veon Bell in action.

Coach Adam Gase said Sunday night that Bell will not play in the preseason.

“I was about 99 percent sure heading into the preseason,” Gase said of the decision. “It was all based off how he practiced, conditioning, all those types of things. We talked about it before we started. I told him I wanted to increase the reps last week. We’re going to do the same thing this week.”

The Jets face the Saints on Saturday at MetLife Stadium in their third preseason game and then finish the preseason against the Eagles at home on Aug. 29.

The question whether Bell would see any time in the preseason has been one that hung over the Jets’ training camp. The team signed him to a four-year, $52.5 million deal this offseason. Bell did not play at all in 2018, sitting out the season because of a contract standoff with the Steelers.

There was some thought Bell should shake off the rust in a game, but Gase feels Bell will be ready without any preseason snaps.

“We’ll just get him as game ready as possible,” Gase said. “He’s not really going to know until we get him in a real game, but I feel like he’s in great shape. He’s been contacting about as good as anybody out on the practice field. I feel confident he’ll be ready to go Week 1.”

Gase said seeing Avery Williamson tear the ACL in his right knee against the Falcons on Thursday solidified the decision for him.

“I was about 99.9 percent sure what we were going to do,” Gase said. “That probably made it 100.”