As Le’Veon Bell made his way to the microphone for his session with the media Tuesday, the new Jets running back smiled and playfully said, “I hope everybody’s ready.”

He could have said the same thing when he took the field Tuesday morning, wearing a Jets helmet and his green No. 26 for the first time. Bell, who signed a four-year, $52.5 million deal with the Jets in March, was with his teammates for the first day of the team’s mandatory minicamp after skipping most of the voluntary portion of the offseason program.

Bell was limited in the practice, playing just a handful of team reps and carrying the ball three times. He looked rusty after skipping last season with the Steelers and was clearly behind on the offense. During his session with reporters, Bell spoke about several topics, including his feelings about reports that coach Adam Gase was not fully on board with his signing.

“Me and Coach Gase talk all the time,” Bell said. “When the reports came out, I was like, I don’t know where the report came from. Like I said, business is business. Even if the report was true, obviously he doesn’t feel like I’m not a great player. Maybe he just felt like, dang, we could have gotten more great players. I don’t know.

“Me and him, our relationship is great. I talk to him literally every day, especially when I was away. I sent him my workouts and letting him know when I’m running this seam route, this is what I want to do on it, and he’s giving me input back.”

Bell spent the first week of the offseason program in New Jersey then returned to Florida to work with his personal trainer, skipping OTA practices with the Jets. Bell said it was a “consideration” to stay with the team since he is learning a new offense, but he wanted to stick to his routine.

“I wanted to do the things that I normally did in my career,” Bell said. “I knew once I got up here that football is football. I’m going to learn the offense. That was really the biggest question mark was me learning the offense.”

During Tuesday’s practice, Bell spent much of his time next to the quarterbacks who were not in on that play. They would relay the play call to him. Bell said he was studying every word and trying to understand what everyone’s job in the offense is.

“I feel like I’m a smart player, and I’m going to show a lot of people that,” Bell said.

Gase said he was not concerned about Bell being in shape because they were in constant contact when Bell was in Florida, but said it is helpful to have him in front of him to teach the offense.

“Anytime that we can work on the field, it’s great for the coaches,” Gase said. “I think it’s good for the other guys as well, because you get used to a guy’s running style. We all know he has a unique running style, that patience that he has. For me to get used to what he likes, that communication of him saying, ‘I’m not really a big fan of this, but I love doing this.’ And just that constant communication just in person, that helps a play-caller.”

Bell, who said he will return to Florida after this minicamp and won’t be present for the final week of OTAs next week, is excited about the possibilities for him in Gase’s offense.

“Oh man,” Bell said. “I picture this scheme being amazing for me just because of the fact there’s a lot of opportunities that I’ve never really had before.”

That is saying a lot since Bell had more than 1,800 yards in total offense in both 2016 and 2017. Bell was asked if he thinks people forget how good he is since he skipped last year.

“Maybe a lot of people forget a little bit just because they haven’t seen it in a long time,” Bell said. “It’s normal. That’s what humans do. I feel like once I go out here and play the first game, people will be reminded. Right now is not the time. Right now I’m just trying to work on myself and be better and learn the offense, learn my guys, get comfortable, challenge the defense and go out and compete right now.”