Steelers disappointed Le'Veon Bell remains absent

[joseephuss]

Last season Bell reported just before the final cuts. He may actually hold out of games this year.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...elers-disappointed-leveon-bell-remains-absent

Steelers disappointed Le'Veon Bell remains absent

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell wasn't with teammates Monday as the team shifts focus to the start of the regular season.

Bell's absence certainly didn't go unnoticed by upper management.

"We are disappointed Le'Veon Bell has not signed his franchise tender and rejoined his teammates," Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said in a statement released by the team. "Coach [Mike] Tomlin and the coaching staff will continue to focus on preparing the players on our roster for our regular-season opener on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns."

 

[cowboy_ron]

ok

 

[Flamma]

14 Mil is not enough for Bell.

 

[csirl]

They're playing the Browns, so dont need him this week.

 

[Ranched]

So tired of these whining pre-madonna's. Wish the NFL would be stricter so these guys can't/won't do this anymore.

It's out of control. Their so hung up with themselves and the almighty dollar bill.

 

[atlantacowboy]

He'll report tomorrow......pass his physical on thursday and kick *** on sunday just like last year.

 

[jrumann59]

So tired of these whining pre-madonna's. Wish the NFL would be stricter so these guys can't/won't do this anymore.

It's out of control. Their so hung up with themselves and the almighty dollar bill.

I hate the whining Madonnas and the whining prima donnas, the whining pre-madonnas have a reason they are old and going through menopause...Just giving you a hard time...

 

[dogunwo]

They're playing the Browns, so dont need him this week.

I actually think the Browns will upset them

 

[Ranched]

I hate the whining Madonnas and the whining prima donnas, the whining pre-madonnas have a reason they are old and going through menopause...Just giving you a hard time...

LOL. I know you are.

 

[Ranched]

I actually think the Browns will upset them

I'd love to see that.

 

[joseephuss]

He'll report tomorrow......pass his physical on thursday and kick *** on sunday just like last year.

Last year in the season opener he had 10 rushing attempts for 32 yards and had 3 receptions for 15 yards. He hardly kicked anything in that game and last year he was already in camp by this time. He will have less prep time if he reports by tomorrow.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Sooooooo....let's start this by saying......do we trade for him?

 

[Verdammung]

Rams set the market by paying Todd Gurley $15 Million per year.
The Rams gave Gurley this extension before his rookie deal even expired.
The Steelers have jerked Bell around by franchise tagging him not once but twice.
Bell is arguably as dynamic at RB as Antonio Brown is at WR and probably more so than Roethlisberger at QB, but they won't pay him.
The Steelers are upset with Bell because he's upset they won't commit to him.

I do not think I can accurately depict my thoughts on what I think of the Steelers in this matter and remain in compliance with the rules of this forum. Suffice it to say, I disagree with them.

 

[Jake]

Sooooooo....let's start this by saying......do we trade for him?

 

[Hardline]

Not our problem.

 

[Flamma]

Rams set the market by paying Todd Gurley $15 Million per year.
The Rams gave Gurley this extension before his rookie deal even expired.
The Steelers have jerked Bell around by franchise tagging him not once but twice.
Bell is arguably as dynamic at RB as Antonio Brown is at WR and probably more so than Roethlisberger at QB, but they won't pay him.
The Steelers are upset with Bell because he's upset they won't commit to him.

I do not think I can accurately depict my thoughts on what I think of the Steelers in this matter and remain in compliance with the rules of this forum. Suffice it to say, I disagree with them.

Bell would still make over 14 mil this year if he plays. Is that so bad? Players make top money under the franchise tag. It's not like they're going to cut him if he has a good season. If the franchise tag him again he'd be looking at around 17 mil. I'm not seeing how that's being jerked around.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I'm obviously being facetious to mock the Earl Thomas stuff.

 

[Rockport]

Last season Bell reported just before the final cuts. He may actually hold out of games this year.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...elers-disappointed-leveon-bell-remains-absent

Steelers disappointed Le'Veon Bell remains absent

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell wasn't with teammates Monday as the team shifts focus to the start of the regular season.

Bell's absence certainly didn't go unnoticed by upper management.

"We are disappointed Le'Veon Bell has not signed his franchise tender and rejoined his teammates," Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said in a statement released by the team. "Coach [Mike] Tomlin and the coaching staff will continue to focus on preparing the players on our roster for our regular-season opener on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns."

The title of the article is like “Duh!”

 

[Verdammung]

Bell would still make over 14 mil this year if he plays. Is that so bad? Players make top money under the franchise tag. It's not like they're going to cut him if he has a good season. If the franchise tag him again he'd be looking at around 17 mil. I'm not seeing how that's being jerked around.

The reason they franchise tagged him two years in a row is because the RB market hadn't been set. The tag is supposed to be based on the average of the top five players at the position and other than Bell, LeSean McCoy was the only one who got more than $10 million and everyone else was less than $7 million. Honestly, I don't understand why the tag was set as high as $12 million in 2017.

In 2018, he's only getting $14.5 million because by rule you get the greater of the top five average or a 20% increase in your previous salary, and the actual franchise tag value for RB's went down.

But the real problem here is the risk of injury. You suggest it makes no difference if they take it one year at a time and steadily increase his pay. However, it's entirely possible that when the Bengals play the Steelers this year, Vontaze Burfict rams his helmet into Bell's helmet full speed, and Bell's concussions and neck injury are so severe that he is forced to retire. Assuming he is able to command top dollar until he finishes his age 30 season, a career ending injury at this point would cost him over $60 million dollars, and that's not accounting for contractual inflation or any years he plays after he hits 31.

So TLDR, the Steelers are too cheap and cowardly to reward one of their best players with a long term commitment, so they systematically underpay him with minimal long-term liability, and are irritated when he is not ok with this. They're jerking him around.

 

[Doomsday]

5 years $70 million was a good offer from the Steelers, the guy has a few screws loose upstairs.