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Lady Steel
03-24-2015, 11:22 PM
PHOENIX — The Steelers have been afforded a peek at the future by what happened in the past. And the view is probably not to their liking.

They already saw what can happen when they have to play without running back Le’Veon Bell, the AFC’s top rusher and scrimmage-yards leader in 2014.

And the prospect of having to play the first two games of the 2015 season the way the previous one ended — without their multi-purpose back — is not a pleasant thought. Especially if the season opener is against the defending Super Bowl champion.

But the Steelers already are formulating a plan of how to proceed without Bell, who is expected to be suspended for the first two games of the season for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy related to a marijuana charge.

And part of the plan is running back DeAngelo Williams, the only outside veteran they have signed so far in free agency.

“We will wait to hear what happens from a league level in regards to that,” coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday at the annual owners meetings at the Arizona Biltmore, referring to Bell’s expected suspension. “But, obviously, we will be prepared to move on without him for whatever time is necessary. The acquisition of Williams helps us in that regard.”




http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2015/03/25/Mike-Tomlin-DeAngelo-Williams-a-good-replacement-for-Steelers-when-Le-Veon-Bell-serves-suspension/stories/201503250085


Yeah, obviously.

steelreserve
03-25-2015, 11:34 AM
Isn't the league's rule on substance abuse that the first violation gets you on "probation" with no suspension, and the second offense is when you start getting suspended for 4 games? Any reason why they apparently decided to ignore that and just freelance this one?