View Full Version : Le'Veon Bell reportedly plans to report to Steelers during Week 7 bye
hawaiiansteeler
10-01-2018, 06:28 PM
Le'Veon Bell reportedly plans to report to Steelers during Week 7 bye, wants to play in 2018
The running back is planning on coming back to Pittsburgh in Week 7
by Will Brinson
The Le'Veon Bell drama hit a high note on Sunday night as the Steelers stumbled through an ugly home loss against the Ravens in prime time, just a few hours after Earl Thomas, another notable holdout, suffered a season-ending injury. It was hard not to see why Bell was staying away.
But he won't be away for much longer: according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Bell is planning to return to the Steelers in Week 7 to report for duty.
Additionally, Fowler reports that Bell "definitely plans to play football for the Steelers this season."
Will the Steelers be willing to take him back?
to read rest of article:
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/leveon-bell-reportedly-plans-to-report-to-steelers-during-week-7-bye-wants-to-play-in-2018/
86WARD
10-01-2018, 06:32 PM
Right in time for the trade deadline.
He’s not the end all cute if he stays in Pittsburgh for the season but he’s definitely going to help...
Fire Goodell
10-01-2018, 06:33 PM
I'll believe it when I see it. Didn't he say he'd be there week 1?
At this point I don't trust anything the guy says
st33lersguy
10-01-2018, 06:50 PM
I'll believe it when I see it. Didn't he say he'd be there week 1?
At this point I don't trust anything the guy says
Yep, which is why I dont believe it
Iron Steeler
10-01-2018, 08:13 PM
He just wants to screw the steelers. We should tag him again out of spite.
Craic
10-01-2018, 08:34 PM
I'll believe it when I see it. Didn't he say he'd be there week 1?
At this point I don't trust anything the guy says
This. However, I wouldn't be surprised if this was a sign to the Steelers that he would be willing to go with a trade. Otherwise, why not sign at the last possible moment? Beyond that, I think Bell perhaps was planning on coming back for the first week. Then, when that Mack trade happened, he decided to hold out and see if he couldn't get something like that for himself. However, when his teammates started to say things about him, it put him in a no-win situation and he didn't know how to tuck his tail between his legs and come in. So, the bye week seemed like the next logical choice.
Then again, this just might all be "fake news" again.
JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue
10-01-2018, 08:40 PM
Probably misses the attention and wanted to comeback when the Steelers aren't doing good. So he can look like the Savior when they turn it around.
Born2Steel
10-01-2018, 09:15 PM
If he comes in and the Steelers DO turn it around, who cares who the savior is! Talk about priorities out of whack. We want to win. Stairway to 7. Solidify Ben's legacy. All that stuff.
JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue
10-01-2018, 09:19 PM
If he comes in and the Steelers DO turn it around, who cares who the savior is! Talk about priorities out of whack. We want to win. Stairway to 7. Solidify Ben's legacy. All that stuff. I'm talking Bells mindset but agree I don't give a frogs fat arse and whatever helps to win. I welcome him back if he can help to do that.
Dwinsgames
10-01-2018, 09:35 PM
ehh believe it when I see it ... hopefully we can muster a trade for him above what any potential comp pick would bring ... this season will be a wash by then at the rate we are going so time to stockpile picks to rebuild this dumpster fire we have now
GoSlash27
10-01-2018, 09:36 PM
If he does show up in week 7, he'll be seriously out of shape. Not ready to play/compete for starter for a long time and also not emotionally invested in the fortunes of this team.
IMO Bell represents freakish talent, but no heart. I realize that sounds cold and disrespectful, but I don't actually hold it against him. He's got to look out for himself and I get that. But at the end of the day... I'd rather have Conner.
vader29
10-01-2018, 09:42 PM
1046943035102236672
j-d-s
10-02-2018, 05:52 AM
He just wants to screw the steelers. We should tag him again out of spite.
That would be a very expensive tag... about 24 million.
AtlantaDan
10-02-2018, 07:32 AM
"It sucks having to sit out football," Bell said by telephone from South Florida on Monday. "I want to play. I want to win games and the playoffs.
"But I've gotta take this stand. Knowing my worth and knowing I can tear a ligament or get surgery at any time, I knew I couldn't play 16 games with 400 or more touches."
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24863960/leveon-bell-set-report-steelers-week-7-8-frame
Conceding you do not expect to be able to make it through a 16 game season might not be the best argument in support of a long term big $$$ contract for someone who missed the playoffs in two seasons due to injury and then was injured and unable to get through a third playoff run :coffee:
BlackAndGold
10-02-2018, 10:46 AM
1047139346447355904
I'll say it, Bell is more than likely going nowhere.
AtlantaDan
10-02-2018, 10:56 AM
1047139346447355904
I'll say it, Bell is more than likely going nowhere.
1046896512830267392
He could sign a transition offer sheet which would pay him either the average of the top-10 paid players at his position, or 120 percent of his previous year’s salary. Because Bell has not been playing yet this season, the Steelers could argue that his 2018 salary was only $9.4 million (assuming he reports in Week 7 as is being reported and plays in 10 games). 120 percent of $9.4 million would make Bell’s salary only $11.3 million for 2019....
Bell’s other option would be to receive a contract offer from another team. The Steelers would then have seven days to decide whether they want to match the offer. That would allow Bell to find out his true market value and give the Steelers a chance to decide whether they think he is worth it. Pittsburgh would not receive compensation if they choose not to match. But if they choose to match, Bell would be forced to sign with the Steelers.
https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/steelers_could_still_use_transition_tag_on_leveon_ bell_after_season/s1_127_27407810
Basically giving up the third round compensatory pick if they just let him walk with that strategy since someone will pay Bell more than the Steelers are willing to once he hits free agency.
Bell has screwed this up but the Steelers negotiating tactics have not been a master's class in maximizing your return on investment either.
Fire Goodell
10-02-2018, 11:01 AM
"It sucks having to sit out football," Bell said by telephone from South Florida on Monday. "I want to play. I want to win games and the playoffs.
Playoffs?? Don't talk about playoffs! :chuckle:
steelerdude15
10-02-2018, 11:06 AM
1047139346447355904
I'll say it, Bell is more than likely going nowhere.
I hope the Steelers make the right decision and just end all of this unnecessary drama. Actually try to trade him if he actually reports during the bye week or let him walk in the off-season. I would hope that the front office would have enough common sense to not go through this crap again next year when we really could use the money to sure up our defense.
steelreserve
10-02-2018, 01:19 PM
Basically giving up the third round compensatory pick if they just let him walk with that strategy since someone will pay Bell more than the Steelers are willing to once he hits free agency.
Bell has screwed this up but the Steelers negotiating tactics have not been a master's class in maximizing your return on investment either.
Not necessarily. The one advantage the tranny tag gives you in a case like this, is that there is only one offer you have to match. He sees an offer that he thinks is acceptable, and you either match it or you don't - he doesn't go "weeeeeelllll, but actually now, I think I could get more" and it goes into more back-and-forth drama that drags on indefinitely. Like, OK, Leveon, you said there was a price you had in mind, now you HAVE to name it, no more bullshit.
This could be really useful in two cases: 1) Money was not an object and he just wanted to play in a different city (Miami/NY/LA) - well, now that's off the table ... or 2) The offers he gets are substantially less than he expected thanks to his antics, and are no problem for us to match. Also there's the fact that it puts him on a clock - either sign an offer and let us match it or not, or else he's playing on the tranny tag for the year.
Having said that, I find it unlikely we would use this option to try and force a player who hates us to be on the team.
Dwinsgames
10-02-2018, 02:00 PM
trade him !
use whatever you get to address defense in next years draft ....
CB
OLB
CB
OLB
FS
AtlantaDan
10-02-2018, 02:44 PM
Bell confirms my suspicion not reporting after he was tagged for the second time had little to do with any sort of strategy to maximize his income and a lot to do with keeping it real
"This second year on the tag, everybody thought I would do what I did on the first tag and assumed a certain thing and it offended a lot of people," Bell said. "That's not my fault you literally thought I'd do the same thing. Everybody thinks I'm bluffing. That's not the person I am. I've always been a stubborn kid. When I have my mind set, that's what I'm going to do."
http://www.espn.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/28863/leveon-speaks-expectations-message-to-teammates-trade-talk
DesertSteel
10-02-2018, 02:57 PM
Bell confirms my suspicion not reporting after he was tagged for the second time had little to do with any sort of strategy to maximize his income and a lot to do with keeping it real
"This second year on the tag, everybody thought I would do what I did on the first tag and assumed a certain thing and it offended a lot of people," Bell said. "That's not my fault you literally thought I'd do the same thing. Everybody thinks I'm bluffing. That's not the person I am. I've always been a stubborn kid. When I have my mind set, that's what I'm going to do."
http://www.espn.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/28863/leveon-speaks-expectations-message-to-teammates-trade-talk
We all know that your stupidity act is not a bluff.
vasteeler
10-02-2018, 03:26 PM
At this point...Fuck Bell!
pczach
10-02-2018, 04:42 PM
It sounds like the Steelers are laying the groundwork for Bell to accept a trade. The are laying out a scenario where he doesn't make as much next year, and he will be a year older and have another year with a chance to suffer a significant injury. The long-term lucrative free agent contract he so badly wants is disappearing under the moves the team is threatening to make.
Maybe we see something happen very soon after his return.
Just a possibility.
AtlantaDan
10-02-2018, 05:01 PM
It sounds like the Steelers are laying the groundwork for Bell to accept a trade. The are laying out a scenario where he doesn't make as much next year, and he will be a year older and have another year with a chance to suffer a significant injury. The long-term lucrative free agent contract he so badly wants is disappearing under the moves the team is threatening to make.
Maybe we see something happen very soon after his return.
Just a possibility.
Becomes more likely if the team is 1-4-1 or 2-3-1 (if the loss is within division to Cincy) when he returns. At that point the season will be pretty much cooked and Bell will just be another problem rather than a solution
He won't play another down in Pitt. I stopped watching the NFL 2 weeks ago and feel much better. Just dropped into say hello.
When MLB went on strike in the 1990s I turned it off and never turned it on again. I grew up playing baseball and was a lifetime Steelers fan. Bell is a disaster and he should be removed from the team as quickly as possible.
pczach
10-02-2018, 06:12 PM
Becomes more likely if the team is 1-4-1 or 2-3-1 (if the loss is within division to Cincy) when he returns. At that point the season will be pretty much cooked and Bell will just be another problem rather than a solution
I'm not sure that the team's record matters at this point. I could certainly be wrong, but I think the team may be done with him no matter how bad the won/loss record is.
You may be right Dan. We will find out where this is going after he comes in and signs his contract.
- - - Updated - - -
He won't play another down in Pitt. I stopped watching the NFL 2 weeks ago and feel much better. Just dropped into say hello.
When MLB went on strike in the 1990s I turned it off and never turned it on again. I grew up playing baseball and was a lifetime Steelers fan. Bell is a disaster and he should be removed from the team as quickly as possible.
Thanks for stopping by.
Unfortunately, I think more and more people are going to slowly walk away from the game because it is no longer the game they grew up loving.
Fire Goodell
10-02-2018, 06:22 PM
Unfortunately, I think more and more people are going to slowly walk away from the game because it is no longer the game they grew up loving.
With the new QB rules this is the last straw for me honestly. I loved watching defense growing up and it's like you're not allowed to play anymore. They keep taking away everything I liked about the game, heck it really pissed me off when they started fining Hines Ward for just being a physical player on offense.
Honestly the Steelers-Ravens rivalry used to be a huge thing because you knew people were going to take a beating. Now it doesn't really feel the same when Steelers-Ravens is about throwing 70 yards down the field and neither QB getting dirty.
Craic
10-03-2018, 12:03 AM
You know, if this is true . . .
He didn't want to take the Steelers' monster $70 million offer because the true guarantee was $17 million -- well below backs David Johnson (http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/2508176/david-johnson) and Todd Gurley (http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/2977644/todd-gurley-ii), who got between $31 million and $45 million guaranteed this summer.
I really don't blame him for not signing. That is a pretty low number. Then again, from the Steelers perspective, I can also understand it.
steelreserve
10-03-2018, 10:07 AM
You know, if this is true . . .
I really don't blame him for not signing. That is a pretty low number. Then again, from the Steelers perspective, I can also understand it.
Half-true. Bell's offer was $35 million guaranteed as long as he was on the roster in March 2019. Which, because of the dead money involved with cutting him, was a 100% certainty regardless of injury. Realistically, the only way he was getting less than $45-50 million guaranteed in the first three years was with another drug suspension in the next 18 months.
The fact that Bell is stupid as fuck and couldn't figure that out is not the team's fault, and it does not mean the offer was cheap or unreasonable. Likewise, all the talking heads saying "ITS ABOUT THE GUARANTEED MONEY PAY THE MAN" are also either stupid as fuck and don't know what they're talking about, or are just trying to appeal to some small-minded sense of bro-solidarity among that portion of the audience who uses the word "billionaire" as a slur and automatically goes "omg greedy owners give the players their share," demonstrating a complete lack of understanding of things such as the CBA and the salary cap.
Basically, the guaranteed money argument is incorrect information, and even a moderate amount of common sense will reveal it is bullshit. In any event, Bell's course of action neither maximizes his guaranteed money nor minimizes his risk of injury, so it's something else. The three choices that leaves us with are that he is just a jerk or an idiot; that he simply wanted to leave all along regardless of money, and is using the Harrison-Blount strategy to try and force a trade or release; or that his epic summer vacation left him fat and full of THC, and last week he decided to think about football and gettin PAAAAAIIIIIIYED, and it'll take about a month before he can pass a piss test or not embarrass himself. Or some combination of all those.
cold-hard-steel
10-03-2018, 10:21 AM
Not necessarily. The one advantage the tranny tag gives you in a case like this, is that there is only one offer you have to match. He sees an offer that he thinks is acceptable, and you either match it or you don't - he doesn't go "weeeeeelllll, but actually now, I think I could get more" and it goes into more back-and-forth drama that drags on indefinitely. Like, OK, Leveon, you said there was a price you had in mind, now you HAVE to name it, no more bullshit.
This could be really useful in two cases: 1) Money was not an object and he just wanted to play in a different city (Miami/NY/LA) - well, now that's off the table ... or 2) The offers he gets are substantially less than he expected thanks to his antics, and are no problem for us to match. Also there's the fact that it puts him on a clock - either sign an offer and let us match it or not, or else he's playing on the tranny tag for the year.
Having said that, I find it unlikely we would use this option to try and force a player who hates us to be on the team.
Tranny tag!!!!!!!
Craic
10-03-2018, 11:04 AM
Half-true. Bell's offer was $35 million guaranteed as long as he was on the roster in March 2019. Which, because of the dead money involved with cutting him, was a 100% certainty regardless of injury. Realistically, the only way he was getting less than $45-50 million guaranteed in the first three years was with another drug suspension in the next 18 months.
That doesn't make sense. His fully guaranteed money was 10 million, with subsequent bonuses the next two years for availability/non-injury/skill bringing him up to the 30 something million. The problem is, such bonuses are not fully guaranteed. If you trade a player or cut him, they don't get that money and it doesn't go against the cap. If I understand it correctly, then, his cap number next year would have been 2 million in dead money if cut.
What the Steelers offered were easily reached, but that is predicated on Bell not getting injured and not being cut. It's the first he was worried about.
steelreserve
10-03-2018, 11:13 AM
That doesn't make sense. His fully guaranteed money was 10 million, with subsequent bonuses the next two years for availability/non-injury/skill bringing him up to the 30 something million. The problem is, such bonuses are not fully guaranteed. If you trade a player or cut him, they don't get that money and it doesn't go against the cap. If I understand it correctly, then, his cap number next year would have been 2 million in dead money if cut.
What the Steelers offered were easily reached, but that is predicated on Bell not getting injured and not being cut. It's the first he was worried about.
There is no chance he was getting cut after the first year because of injury. None. He tears both ACLs on the first play of Week 1, he's still on the roster in 2019. If he then goes on to have a bad 2019, he is still on the roster in 2020 because the first year back might have been an aberration and we want to give one more chance to find out his real status. No one is going to write off a huge deal with a star player as quickly as we would've needed to for Bell not to get his money.
The injury argument is bullshit, always has been bullshit, and in fact the only way for him to risk any money due to injury was by rejecting the long-term contract and playing year-to-year. I'm sorry, but if that is really what he was "worried" about, then he is a complete fuckin' idiot and he should feel bad about it. The reason is definitely something else and that is just a poorly devised ruse to save face publicly, and honestly you have to be pretty gullible to believe it, or at least not have thought it all the way through.
Look at the FACTS. The Steelers were correct in their assumptions because once again Bell is not available for a full season. Why take a big risk on a cement head like that?
Craic
10-03-2018, 02:47 PM
There is no chance he was getting cut after the first year because of injury. None. He tears both ACLs on the first play of Week 1, he's still on the roster in 2019. If he then goes on to have a bad 2019, he is still on the roster in 2020 because the first year back might have been an aberration and we want to give one more chance to find out his real status. No one is going to write off a huge deal with a star player as quickly as we would've needed to for Bell not to get his money.
The injury argument is bullshit, always has been bullshit, and in fact the only way for him to risk any money due to injury was by rejecting the long-term contract and playing year-to-year. I'm sorry, but if that is really what he was "worried" about, then he is a complete fuckin' idiot and he should feel bad about it. The reason is definitely something else and that is just a poorly devised ruse to save face publicly, and honestly you have to be pretty gullible to believe it, or at least not have thought it all the way through.
Injury argument? Just ask Shazier. One injury and he's done. I know, we hope. But the chances of him ever playing again is minimal. The only reason he's being paid this season is because it was fully guaranteed. How about Tommy Maddox? One injury to the elbow and someone steps up and takes his place, and he's done after the following year. When your guarantees are performance based, that is a scary proposition. Let's say Bell does get injured but is kept a second year. That's 20 something million. Still ten to fifteen million short of what others are getting. And, that is if he is able to earn those bonuses just by being on the roster. Does he get the workout bonuses if he can't workout in OTAs? Probably not. Does he get the bonuses for availability in games if he's injured (if it was structured that way), no. We see players get injured all the time. We also see them come back and not be half as good as what they could have been. Sean Spence? His knee injury screwed his career over. Kendall Simmons? His diabetes (which was at least partially caused by the weight he had to carry to play football) took him from a very good Guard to a mediocre one in just one year 200. Then, he suffers an Achilles tendon tear and is released in 2009.
Look, I know. It is difficult for any of us to fathom turning down that much money because we make a pittance of that. However, do you really think a team as cap-smart as the Steelers would make such a strange contract if it was absolutely guaranteed, all the while knowing that by doing so, it would make Bell unhappy? Of course not. There's a reason they built the contract that way, and it's because they could get out of a lot of dead money by not paying Bell if something drastic happened, and that's the exact thing Bell wanted insurance against. Do I blame the Steelers? No. it's business and they have to split all the money under the cap by 52 people. However, by the same token I'm not going to blame Bell for trying to uphold his part of the business and getting more guaranteed money for himself than 10 million dollars. ESPECIALLY when the tag is a guaranteed fourteen million. That makes logical sense. (Him holding out based on that argument is a stupid move, but that's a different discussion).
Let me ask it this way. Would you be willing to drop the same amount of money for Earl Thomas next season now as you would have before last weekend? Any answer other than "No" is either not being honest or being foolhardy. Of course you wouldn't, and neither would I. Why? Because injury causes deterioration in play, often times even when healed. And when your pay is based on such things . . .
AtlantaDan
10-03-2018, 02:53 PM
1047570187057332230
Bell is running a lab experiment in how to antagonize as many people as possible with his behavior - not talking about not reporting, but in terms of dealings with teammates along with trips to the strip club, time on the jet ski, and liking posts on the Chiefs making big plays against the Steelers
It may not hurt his negotiations for the big payday in 2019 but it certainly will not help
Craic
10-03-2018, 02:57 PM
1047570187057332230
Bell is running a lab experiment in how to antagonize as many people as possible with his behavior - not talking about not reporting, but in terms of dealings with teammates along with trips to the strip club, time on the jet ski, and liking posts on the Chiefs making big plays against the Steelers
It may not hurt his negotiations for the big payday in 2019 but it certainly will not help
No one will ever accuse him of being brilliant. That's for sure. Even saying in my post below that one move makes logical sense, my guess is he lucked his way into it.
I know what Jack Lambert would say about the situation. His comments would talk about teamwork and individual achievement. The money would flow naturally along with the championships. I don't know any team that would spend big $ on a spoiled kid who thinks he is the center of the universe and could care less about his teammates. Plus he has a history of not being available and has a big mouth too.
Yeah, that's the guy I want to bring into the locker room who is going to add to my organization. I don't think so... or else he would have been traded already. He is not worth the headaches and no one player is bigger than the entire team. Steelers are going to wait him out and make an example, that's the only way they get their team back.
Mojouw
10-03-2018, 03:47 PM
I know what Jack Lambert would say about the situation. His comments would talk about teamwork and individual achievement. The money would flow naturally along with the championships. I don't know any team that would spend big $ on a spoiled kid who thinks he is the center of the universe and could care less about his teammates. Plus he has a history of not being available and has a big mouth too.
Yeah, that's the guy I want to bring into the locker room who is going to add to my organization. I don't think so... or else he would have been traded already. He is not worth the headaches and no one player is bigger than the entire team. Steelers are going to wait him out and make an example, that's the only way they get their team back.
How long was Lambert's hold out again?
AtlantaDan
10-03-2018, 03:54 PM
I know what Jack Lambert would say about the situation. His comments would talk about teamwork and individual achievement. The money would flow naturally along with the championships.
Presumably except for the time Lambert held out in preseason in 1977 and his agent said pay him or trade him http://www.steelersuniverse.com/forums/images/smilies/wink02.gif (http://www.steelersuk.com/history/seventies/1977/1977%20part%202.html)
While the rest of the team attempted to go through preseason with their focus on playing football, there was a different game being played out behind the scenes. When Joe Greene was named the defensive team captain to replace Andy Russell, the agent of Jack Lambert said the player felt hurt. “Jack is taking this very personally now,” said Greg Lustig, Lambert’s attorney, claiming Noll and linebacker coach Woody Widenhofer phoned Lambert before the start of training camp to offer Lambert the position of captain if he came to camp.
“Unfortunately, Jack really wanted the captain’s job,” continued Lustig. “He considered it a tremendous honor. It was very important to him, but he was insulted when they tried to use it as a wedge. He took it as a cheap shot.”
Dan Rooney suggested the player’s agent, Bucky Woy, wasn’t doing a very good job of running the publicity campaign from Dallas, adding he couldn’t didn’t think the agent could do a good job of running the football from there either.
“Our position is that we want Jack back,” offered Rooney. “We think he’s a Rooney. I didn’t hear anything new in their statement that I didn’t hear in the past. I’m still very hopeful we will get him back. A lot of guys who have been out of other camps are coming in.”
Woy insisted Lambert wouldn’t play until his demands were met. “There’s nothing to negotiate,” he said. “They can pay him or trade him.”....
With the contract negotiations with Jack Lambert and his agent Bucky Woy still at stalemate, Dan Rooney told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he thought the player and Woy were confused as to what a legitimate offer was. “I’ll never say I can’t afford a player because, oh, we are in a small stadium, or this is Pittsburgh and not New York,” Rooney added. “But the game can’t afford the sort of escalation of salary they want.”
http://www.steelersuk.com/history/seventies/1977/1977%20part%202.html
steelreserve
10-03-2018, 03:58 PM
Let me ask it this way. Would you be willing to drop the same amount of money for Earl Thomas next season now as you would have before last weekend? Any answer other than "No" is either not being honest or being foolhardy. Of course you wouldn't, and neither would I. Why? Because injury causes deterioration in play, often times even when healed. And when your pay is based on such things . . .
Being 100% honest, I doubt the injury affects Earl Thomas' next contract one bit. It's a fractured leg, for god's sake. People are freaking out like it's a ruptured Achilles tendon or a broken neck. I wouldn't be surprised to see him come off the 8-week IR list and play a couple of games at the end of this season, just to prove to other teams in the market that his health is unaffected. There's also a not-insignificant chance the Seahawks franchise him next year, in which case the entire bird-flipping argument about his long-term value on the open market was just a bunch of noise over nothing.
The only injuries that realistically affect next year's contract for a DB (or RB) are blown-out knees. That's it. Everything else is irrelevant, unless you count the freak accidents that happen to one guy every 10 years - but those are also irrelevant from a business standpoint, because of the aforementioned frequency. For other positions it might be a different type of injury that is the killer, but same idea. We're talking about the risk of a catastrophic injury, not any injury at all. Thomas' injury is neither catastrophic nor career-altering.
Mathematical projection after mathematical projection shows that the way to maximize the amount of money you earn playing NFL football in franchise-tag situations or non-guaranteed contracts is to show up and play, and collect every penny you can betting that you will stay healthy, because the odds of career-altering injury are far outweighed by the cash in hand. It has nothing to do with the mere fan not being able to comprehend the financial part of it because it is so much more than we make in a year and we are dazzled by any multimillion-dollar amount. It is straight mathematics.
By the way, the Bell contract offer would have been $33 million over the first two years (which became guaranteed the first day of the 2019 offseason, as in 5-6 months from now) and $45 million over three. That's a lot different from $20 million over two, and pretty much in line with other contracts. All he had to do was not get another idiot suspension.
AtlantaDan
10-03-2018, 05:10 PM
No one will ever accuse him of being brilliant. That's for sure. Even saying in my post below that one move makes logical sense, my guess is he lucked his way into it.
Agreed there is no danger of Bell winning the smartest Steeler award
Excerpts from Bouchette's P-G story this afternoon on nobody with the Steelers having heard from prodigal son Bell regarding his alleged plan to return in a few weeks
He has talked to no one in the front office, none of the coaches, and teammates say he has not talked to them recently either. “It stinks,” one teammate said.
Coaches who have tried to contact him through texts and other means have heard nothing in return from Bell....
Sounds like Ramon Foster is over Bell
“No reaction,” Foster said. “Man, we have a lot of stuff in house we have to deal with more than anything. If he shows up, that’ll be awesome, if he chooses to come later, that’s cool too. Our job right now is to win these games that are in front of us until he does.
“We’ll see how it goes when he gets here. He’ll be our teammate. We’ll see what his thinking is, ask him more questions, I guess. We can’t look ahead to that.”
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2018/10/03/le-veon-bell-return-contract-holdout-week-7-nfl-bye-week-ramon-foster-maurkice-pouncey/stories/201810030202
Craic
10-04-2018, 01:05 AM
By the way, the Bell contract offer would have been $33 million over the first two years (which became guaranteed the first day of the 2019 offseason, as in 5-6 months from now) and $45 million over three. That's a lot different from $20 million over two, and pretty much in line with other contracts. All he had to do was not get another idiot suspension.
I've looked for any kind of details for this, and can't find them. Can you link me to your sources? The only ones I could find talked about a guaranteed 10 mill and the "rolling guarantees" that aren't full guarantees but based on both performance and availability.
steelreserve
10-04-2018, 01:38 AM
I've looked for any kind of details for this, and can't find them. Can you link me to your sources? The only ones I could find talked about a guaranteed 10 mill and the "rolling guarantees" that aren't full guarantees but based on both performance and availability.
Some say "around" $30 million over the first two years, some say the $33 million which apparently seems to all come from the same Ian Rapoport tweet, so who knows if that can be considered exact or not ... still, the point is the same, which is that barring a meteor landing on his head, he was going to get a minimum of $30-something million and almost certainly $45 million.
https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2018/7/16/17527698/leveon-bell-pittsburgh-steelers-franchise-tag-deadline-contract
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/leveon-bell-reportedly-turned-down-a-monstrous-70-million-deal-from-the-steelers/
Sure, he can put out the argument that the "rolling guarantee" and roster bonuses are not technically the same as "guaranteed," but basically all he would have to do is show up and then it becomes extremely unlikely that he doesn't collect on all of that.
I mean, besides all I was talking about where even if he got injured, he's almost certain to not be cut - how many $10-million-plus contracts do we NOT restructure right away to get cap space? I can't think of a single one. That by itself pretty much locks everyone in for the first three years minimum and makes a cut in the fourth year an extremely painful bargain. That's probably because we tend to only give out those contracts to players we are counting on for a long time in the first place. You would think that would've told Bell something - but no, I think it's just that he didn't want to be here for his own reasons, many of which have nothing to do with injury and many more of which have nothing to do with football at all.
Steeler-in-west
10-04-2018, 01:56 AM
I hope the Steelers go on a win streak and Conner gets multiple 100+ yard games, that would be the best message to Bell. Seems the more the Steelers struggle the bigger Bell's ego gets.
teegre
10-04-2018, 05:54 AM
How long was Lambert's hold out again?
Bell needs to put his nose to the grindstone, run hard, and leave the distractions (like weed) alone... you know, like Bam Morris.
AtlantaDan
10-04-2018, 07:02 AM
I've looked for any kind of details for this, and can't find them. Can you link me to your sources? The only ones I could find talked about a guaranteed 10 mill and the "rolling guarantees" that aren't full guarantees but based on both performance and availability.
With no disclosure of the actual contract proposal, this linked article with excerpts below that attempted to reconstruct the proposal, based upon the sketchy reporting from Ian Rapoport (who has never been hesitant to go public with less than fully accurate information to draw page hits), was the most detailed breakdown I have read that seems credible
1019324630425915394
The above tweets are wonky, but readers can gather a few things from them. Apparently, $33 million is the figure for two years. The third year is worth $12 million, while the last two years total up to $25 million. How does such a contract play out on paper?
The projected contract
First two years: $33 million which included the $10 million signing bonus.
2018
$12 million base
$2.5 million prorated bonus
2019 (Becomes fully guaranteed early in March 2019)
$6 million base
$5 million roster bonus (Colbert has been sticking the roster bonuses in almost all new contracts.)
$2.5 million prorated bonus
Third year: $12 million brings the total to $45 million.
2020: Becomes fully guaranteed early in March 2020
$12M million base
$2.5 million prorated bonus
Fourth and fifth year: $12.5 million per year average.
2021
$12.5 million base
$2.5 million prorated bonus
2022
$12.5 million base
$2.5 million prorated bonus
https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2018/7/19/17581414/analyzing-the-reported-rejected-contract-offer-from-the-steelers-to-leveon-bell-franchise-tag-news
As others have posted, highly doubtful Steelers would have released Bell after 2018, absent a Ryan Shazier type catastrophic injury rather than a potential garden variety ACL/MCL injury, and take the dead money hit on the prorated signing bonus. Thus this tweet from Ed Bouchette on how the rejected proposal to Bell compared to the David Johnston contract.
1038608705431003136
1038603865086668800
86WARD
10-04-2018, 07:36 AM
There’s nothing out there written in stone what the deal was and at this point there’s no point in debating it.
Hopefully Bell shows, he’s going to have to give 110% or his hold out was for nothing and hopefully the front office figures out how to fix the defense before it’s too late.
AtlantaDan
10-04-2018, 08:41 AM
There’s nothing out there written in stone what the deal was and at this point there’s no point in debating it.
Hopefully Bell shows, he’s going to have to give 110% or his hold out was for nothing and hopefully the front office figures out how to fix the defense before it’s too late.
Based upon the latest reporting that nobody on the Steelers has heard from Bell regarding his alleged plan to return and that some of his teammates once again sound none too pleased with his ongoing conduct I am coming around to the view the Steelers trade him for whatever they can get for him to a team outside the AFC if he ever signs the tag
Born2Steel
10-04-2018, 08:52 AM
Le'Veon Bell reportedly plans to report to Steelers during Week 7 bye, wants to play in 2018
The running back is planning on coming back to Pittsburgh in Week 7
by Will Brinson
The Le'Veon Bell drama hit a high note on Sunday night as the Steelers stumbled through an ugly home loss against the Ravens in prime time, just a few hours after Earl Thomas, another notable holdout, suffered a season-ending injury. It was hard not to see why Bell was staying away.
But he won't be away for much longer: according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Bell is planning to return to the Steelers in Week 7 to report for duty.
Additionally, Fowler reports that Bell "definitely plans to play football for the Steelers this season."
Will the Steelers be willing to take him back?
to read rest of article:
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/leveon-bell-reportedly-plans-to-report-to-steelers-during-week-7-bye-wants-to-play-in-2018/
One piece that really sticks out to me from the article is 8 scoreless quarters plus 1 OT period. 4 games = 16 quarters in which 8 were scoreless by this offense. THIS OFFENSE! Against the juggernaut defenses of the Browns, Chiefs, and Buccs, I'll give respect to Suggs and co. What is missing you ask? We'll find out for sure come week 8 but I feel it could be Bell.
pczach
10-04-2018, 02:48 PM
Bell needs to put his nose to the grindstone, run hard, and leave the distractions (like weed) alone... you know, like Bam Morris.
Or he can really up his game, and become the next Nate Newton!
Dwinsgames
10-04-2018, 05:30 PM
Or he can really up his game, and become the next Nate Newton!
50 pounds to go
pczach
10-04-2018, 05:54 PM
50 pounds to go
Or a van full of weed!!
:rofl:
…….and then a trunk load of weed!!!
:rofl2:
Newton said he stood to make $75K per drug deal
May 13, 2005
Associated Press
DALLAS -- Former Dallas Cowboys (http://www.espn.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=dal) offensive lineman
Nate Newton says his competitive nature led him into the drug business.
"I've always been competitive, I've always been in sports,"
said Newton, a six-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman who retired
after the 2000 season. "I couldn't see myself not being the
biggest dope man."
http://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2059715
86WARD
10-08-2018, 04:49 PM
So if the rumors are true about the Eagles having interest in Bell, the Steelers pretty much have them over the barrel right now with how crappy Philadelphia is doing record-wise and need just breaking that Ajayi is out for the year with a torn ACL. I’d take no less than a second round player and Jordan Hicks for him.
Mojouw
10-08-2018, 04:51 PM
So if the rumors are true about the Eagles having interest in Bell, the Steelers pretty much have them over the barrel right now with how crappy Philadelphia is doing record-wise and need just breaking that Ajayi is out for the year with a torn ACL. I’d take no less than a second round player and Jordan Hicks for him.
Beat me to it!
I suspect they won't give up player from their defense right now, as that has been Philly's problem(or at least one of them).
I say take a spread of draft picks over the next 2 seasons.
Then turn around and pry a defender away from someone else.
BlackAndGold
10-08-2018, 04:53 PM
Eagles have two 2nd round picks in 2019.
pczach
10-08-2018, 05:31 PM
A trade with the Eagles makes a ton of sense for both teams. They have a huge need at RB. Watching Smallwood play and knowing that there is a chance for Bell to be on that roster has to be exciting for a team that needs a jolt. He would be a huuuuuuge upgrade from what they have and would fit that offense perfectly IMO.
Let's hope this happens.
steelreserve
10-08-2018, 05:35 PM
Philly ain't South Beach or L.A., so he'd be a 10-game rental for them, hands-down.
Still, if there's any team for whom a 10-game rental could possibly make sense, it'd be the Eagles. Win another championship and it's worth any amount of draft picks.
DesertSteel
10-08-2018, 06:35 PM
So if the rumors are true about the Eagles having interest in Bell, the Steelers pretty much have them over the barrel right now with how crappy Philadelphia is doing record-wise and need just breaking that Ajayi is out for the year with a torn ACL. I’d take no less than a second round player and Jordan Hicks for him.
Are there any links that give validity to this rumor?
pczach
10-08-2018, 06:40 PM
Are there any links that give validity to this rumor?
This is from 5 days ago: https://insidetheiggles.com/2018/10/03/philadelphia-eagles-interest-leveon-bell/
And this one: https://247sports.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/Article/LeVeon-Bell-Eagles-interested-122711076/
AtlantaDan
10-08-2018, 06:51 PM
This is from 5 days ago: https://insidetheiggles.com/2018/10/03/philadelphia-eagles-interest-leveon-bell/
And this one: https://247sports.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/Article/LeVeon-Bell-Eagles-interested-122711076/
This appears to be Jason LaConfora generating his own Bell rumors and then the links above linking back to LaCanfora, which morphs his speculation into "news" :chuckle:
If I am the Eagles (https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/page/PHI/philadelphia-eagles), who have been mulling the potential of a Bell trade for a while now, nothing I saw last Sunday would curb my interest. In fact, it would only heighten my desire to acquire a player of this impact given the way the defending Super Bowl (https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/superbowl/) champions have limped through the first quarter of the season. A year ago they stirred things up and dealt for Jay Ajayi (https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1825212/jay-ajayi); a Bell trade midseason this year could boost them even further.
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/latest-on-leveon-bell-why-hes-done-with-steelers-eagles-should-make-the-trade-and-more-notes/
pczach
10-08-2018, 07:07 PM
This appears to be Jason LaConfora generating his own Bell rumors and then the links above linking back to LaCanfora, which morphs his speculation into "news" :chuckle:
If I am the Eagles (https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/page/PHI/philadelphia-eagles), who have been mulling the potential of a Bell trade for a while now, nothing I saw last Sunday would curb my interest. In fact, it would only heighten my desire to acquire a player of this impact given the way the defending Super Bowl (https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/superbowl/) champions have limped through the first quarter of the season. A year ago they stirred things up and dealt for Jay Ajayi (https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1825212/jay-ajayi); a Bell trade midseason this year could boost them even further.
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/latest-on-leveon-bell-why-hes-done-with-steelers-eagles-should-make-the-trade-and-more-notes/
La Canfora cites league sources in this article. You may be correct, but he says he has a source. https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/eagles-have-interest-in-leveon-bell-steelers-open-to-trading-him-for-earl-thomas/
AtlantaDan
10-08-2018, 07:41 PM
La Canfora cites league sources in this article. You may be correct, but he says he has a source. https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/eagles-have-interest-in-leveon-bell-steelers-open-to-trading-him-for-earl-thomas/
I guess it depends how good your alleged league sources are - this from Adam Schefter's league sources this evening
The Philadelphia Eagles (http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/phi/philadelphia-eagles) restructured the contract of Pro Bowl defensive tackle Fletcher Cox (http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/14941/fletcher-cox) on Friday, but they will not use the added salary-cap space to trade for Pittsburgh Steelers (http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/pit/pittsburgh-steelers) running back Le'Veon Bell (http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/15825/leveon-bell), according to league sources.
Cox's new deal will create $6.5 million more cap space for the Eagles this season and $11.7 million more for next season.
However, even with the newfound cap room, the Eagles have not pursued a trade for Bell and do not have plans to do so at this time, the sources said.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24934151/eagles-restructure-fletcher-cox-deal-no-plans-leveon-bell-trade
(http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24934151/eagles-restructure-fletcher-cox-deal-no-plans-leveon-bell-trade)
pczach
10-08-2018, 07:52 PM
I guess it depends how good your alleged league sources are - this from Adam Schefter's league sources this evening
The Philadelphia Eagles (http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/phi/philadelphia-eagles) restructured the contract of Pro Bowl defensive tackle Fletcher Cox (http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/14941/fletcher-cox) on Friday, but they will not use the added salary-cap space to trade for Pittsburgh Steelers (http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/pit/pittsburgh-steelers) running back Le'Veon Bell (http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/15825/leveon-bell), according to league sources.
Cox's new deal will create $6.5 million more cap space for the Eagles this season and $11.7 million more for next season.
However, even with the newfound cap room, the Eagles have not pursued a trade for Bell and do not have plans to do so at this time, the sources said.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24934151/eagles-restructure-fletcher-cox-deal-no-plans-leveon-bell-trade
Interesting. I know half the world is speculating about Bell, but I hadn't seen that report from Schefter.
Who knows if La Canfora actually heard something from a source, got bad info from a source, or just plain made it up. I'm assuming that the next week or two should tell the tale if more reports surface or there is an actual trade.
Someone asked for a link to rumors of the Eagles' interest in Bell. I just posted what was out there. It wouldn't be the first time I've been duped. :lol:
AtlantaDan
10-08-2018, 07:54 PM
Interesting. I know half the world is speculating about Bell, but I hadn't seen that report from Schefter.
Who knows if La Canfora actually heard something from a source, got bad info from a source, or just plain made it up. I'm assuming that the next week or two should tell the tale if more reports surface or there is an actual trade.
Someone asked for a link to rumors. I just posted what was out there. It wouldn't be the first time I've been duped. :lol:
But you found it on the internet - it must be true! :chuckle:
Online stories cover every possibility
Eagles could be saying with a straight face they are not pursuing a trade "at this time" since Bell needs to sign his tag before they can pursue anything - restructuring Cox in October is odd
pczach
10-08-2018, 07:58 PM
But you found it on the internet - it must be true! :chuckle:
Online stories cover every possibility
Eagles could be saying with a straight face they are not pursuing a trade "at this time" since Bell needs to sign his tag before they can pursue anything - restructuring Cox in October is odd
AtlantaDan laying down the law!
https://media.giphy.com/media/QgcQLZa6glP2w/giphy.gif
Dwinsgames
10-08-2018, 09:02 PM
Interesting. I know half the world is speculating about Bell, but I hadn't seen that report from Schefter.
Who knows if La Canfora actually heard something from a source, got bad info from a source, or just plain made it up. I'm assuming that the next week or two should tell the tale if more reports surface or there is an actual trade.
Someone asked for a link to rumors of the Eagles' interest in Bell. I just posted what was out there. It wouldn't be the first time I've been duped. :lol:
every time Laconfora says something steeler related many jump to accuse him of being loco it reminds me of this little nugget
1049479621245394945
wexell and loley both chime in and say no chance he goes in the 1st ...
nope none
teegre
10-08-2018, 09:06 PM
Eagles have two 2nd round picks in 2019.
Three-way trade:
Iggles get: Le’Veon Bell
Steelers get: Haason Reddick
Cards get: R2 pick (from Iggles)
Dwinsgames
10-08-2018, 09:09 PM
Three-way trade:
Iggles get: Le’Veon Bell
Steelers get: Haason Reddick
Cards get: R2 pick (from Iggles)
i'll take it
Mojouw
10-08-2018, 09:10 PM
Three-way trade:
Iggles get: Le’Veon Bell
Steelers get: Haason Reddick
Cards get: R2 pick (from Iggles)
Kevin Colbert brings the NBA to the NFL!
It makes too much sense to happen.
teegre
10-08-2018, 09:19 PM
Kevin Colbert brings the NBA to the NFL!
It makes too much sense to happen.
It is the rare win-win-win.
JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue
10-09-2018, 09:08 AM
Bell doesn't wanted traded and wants to play the remainder of the season for Pitt when he comes back. Once he signs I guess it doesn't matter and he has no say in it if they trade him ?
Dwinsgames
10-09-2018, 09:12 AM
Bell doesn't wanted traded and wants to play the reminder of the season for Pitt when he comes back. Once he signs I guess it doesn't matter and he has no say in it if they trade him ?
his only say is limited by his return date ....
if he signs before the trade deadline they can trade him
if he waits till wk 10 they can not
JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue
10-09-2018, 09:18 AM
his only say is limited by his return date ....
if he signs before the trade deadline they can trade him
if he waits till wk 10 they can not Thanks for explaining and he may stay out till week 10 then if this is still his mindset.
Born2Steel
10-09-2018, 09:22 AM
I don't know when he shows, but I seriously doubt he ever actually plays. Or plays more than a half each game.
JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue
10-09-2018, 09:29 AM
I don't know when he shows, but I seriously doubt he ever actually plays. Or plays more than a half each game. Would be nice to see teams chase him around in the 1st half and then Conner run them over in the 2nd half.
Dwinsgames
10-09-2018, 11:22 AM
1049679112657391616
DesertSteel
10-09-2018, 12:23 PM
Conner is 3rd in the AFC in Yards From Scrimmage - and the 2nd RB behind Gordon from LAC (119 to 116). If the Steelers stick with the running game, Conner will be #1 in the AFC by mid-season, I predict.
El-Gonzo Jackson
10-09-2018, 04:47 PM
Gonna run the tires off Connor before season end at that pace. Almost need a high priced backup.
Dwinsgames
10-09-2018, 05:06 PM
1049765539080536070
gradually transitioning this to a Conner thread .... since Tomlin only likes to talk about the guys that are here haha
pczach
10-09-2018, 05:53 PM
Gonna run the tires off Connor before season end at that pace. Almost need a high priced backup.
In a perfect world they start jumping on teams early and are able to get Ridley and Samuels some work to rest Conner.
He hasn't seen this type of work load in a while. I'd like to see him stay healthy and not wear down as the season goes on.
- - - Updated - - -
1049765539080536070
gradually transitioning this to a Conner thread .... since Tomlin only likes to talk about the guys that are here haha
I also love the way the ground game has worked when Nix has come in as a lead blocker to pound the rock! It wouldn't be a bad idea to show that a little more and go play action off of it.
steelreserve
10-09-2018, 06:01 PM
Run the tires off Conner? What are you guys talking about? Except for the Browns and Falcons, he's had like 10 rushing attempts a game.
DesertSteel
10-09-2018, 06:05 PM
Gonna run the tires off Connor before season end at that pace. Almost need a high priced backup.
Bell will then demand both starter and backup money for both RB and WR... x4!!!
BlackAndGold
10-09-2018, 06:13 PM
The thought of a 1-2 punch with Bell and Connor late in the season sounds pretty good, but using 2 RB's isn't Tomlin's 'MO'
Fire Goodell
10-09-2018, 07:05 PM
The thought of a 1-2 punch with Bell and Connor late in the season sounds pretty good, but using 2 RB's isn't Tomlin's 'MO'
True but he's never had 2 good backs on the roster at the same time. Bettis retired after 2005 and since then it's been Willie Parker or bust. The next guys in line were Dwyer and Redman who weren't necessarily world beaters. However, if you have both Conner and Bell you HAVE to use them both. I honestly think if Bell doesn't get traded, and hits his stride by mid season, we could have a nasty 2 headed monster at RB that will be hard to deal with.
Come to think of it, there was a time Tomlin had 2 good RBs and he did use both. I remember Mewelde Moore seeing a decent amount of game time for a #2 back around 2008
86WARD
10-09-2018, 07:28 PM
Bell most likely isn’t getting traded so Conner-Bell won’t be a terrible thing.
Dwinsgames
10-09-2018, 07:30 PM
True but he's never had 2 good backs on the roster at the same time. Bettis retired after 2005 and since then it's been Willie Parker or bust. The next guys in line were Dwyer and Redman who weren't necessarily world beaters. However, if you have both Conner and Bell you HAVE to use them both. I honestly think if Bell doesn't get traded, and hits his stride by mid season, we could have a nasty 2 headed monster at RB that will be hard to deal with.
Come to think of it, there was a time Tomlin had 2 good RBs and he did use both. I remember Mewelde Moore seeing a decent amount of game time for a #2 back around 2008
Dwill was leading the league in rushing ( well damn near 1 yard behind leader ) when Bell was suspended ... Bell returned and we rarely knew if DWill had a helmet or not so there is that
DesertSteel
10-09-2018, 07:31 PM
Bell most likely isn’t getting traded so Conner-Bell won’t be a terrible thing.
As long as Bell doesn’t mind playing second fiddle.
steelreserve
10-09-2018, 08:35 PM
True but he's never had 2 good backs on the roster at the same time. Bettis retired after 2005 and since then it's been Willie Parker or bust. The next guys in line were Dwyer and Redman who weren't necessarily world beaters. However, if you have both Conner and Bell you HAVE to use them both. I honestly think if Bell doesn't get traded, and hits his stride by mid season, we could have a nasty 2 headed monster at RB that will be hard to deal with.
Come to think of it, there was a time Tomlin had 2 good RBs and he did use both. I remember Mewelde Moore seeing a decent amount of game time for a #2 back around 2008
Two problems with that - first that you would have to consider Willie Parker "good." Second, that Moore came in ONLY when we were going to pass the ball, so we might as well have lined up and said "ok defense, here's what were going to do, now try and stop us," and they were like, " ok thanks, lol."
Make no mistake, if Bell came back, it would be one RB on the field the whole time and 3 touches a game max for the other one. It simply is not in Tomlin's vocabulary to use a running back combo, let alone have two on the field at once.
Fire Goodell
10-09-2018, 09:00 PM
Two problems with that - first that you would have to consider Willie Parker "good." Second, that Moore came in ONLY when we were going to pass the ball, so we might as well have lined up and said "ok defense, here's what were going to do, now try and stop us," and they were like, " ok thanks, lol."
Make no mistake, if Bell came back, it would be one RB on the field the whole time and 3 touches a game max for the other one. It simply is not in Tomlin's vocabulary to use a running back combo, let alone have two on the field at once.
Parker definitely was a good running back, despite the short career. However he was a bit one dimensional, dude couldn't really catch well so Moore would be there in 3rd downs. I wouldn't say Moore couldn't run the rock though, I remember him picking up quite a bit of rushing 1st downs, the guy was a chain mover.
In any case if they go with just 1 RB for the most part, it's not necessarily a bad thing. Conner proved without a doubt that he could come off the bench and produce if Bell goes down. And well if it's Bell replacing Conner, then we know what he can do.
DesertSteel
10-09-2018, 11:56 PM
Mewelde only had one good year - 2008. But that year in the playoffs he was rarely used. He had 25 yards rushing and 25 receiving in 3 playoff games, including the Super Bowl.
Dwinsgames
10-10-2018, 06:24 AM
1049362176664854529
DesertSteel
10-10-2018, 10:17 AM
^^^ That's impressive!
tube517
10-10-2018, 10:25 AM
Mewelde only had one good year - 2008. But that year in the playoffs he was rarely used. He had 25 yards rushing and 25 receiving in 3 playoff games, including the Super Bowl.
Mewelde was in the right place at the right time for us in 2008. That Baltimore game we won at home, 23-20, was pretty much the Mewelde Moore show. Parker was out and we were losing in the 2nd half. Moore and Ben pretty much carried the team to a victory.
He started a few games when Parker was injured that year. When Parker came back, Moore was rarely seen except on 3rd and long situations but that was it.
AtlantaDan
10-10-2018, 01:05 PM
Ben continues praise for Conner while saying how Le'Veon fits in can be addressed if he shows up
"I think James has done some amazing things and deserves to be on the field," Roethlisberger told the media from his locker Wednesday, ahead of Sunday's matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals (http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/cin/cincinnati-bengals). "We also know what Le'Veon is and what he brings to the table. I guess we'll cross that bridge if and when it happens."
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24950013/ben-roethlisberger-says-running-back-james-conner-deserves-playing-leveon-bell-returns
(http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24950013/ben-roethlisberger-says-running-back-james-conner-deserves-playing-leveon-bell-returns)
86WARD
10-10-2018, 01:37 PM
More Ben Drama...lol
cubanstogie
10-11-2018, 03:50 PM
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/421420714738978816/M7_YXfPP_normal.jpeg (https://twitter.com/tribjoerutter)Joe Rutter@tribjoerutter
(https://twitter.com/tribjoerutter)
(https://twitter.com/tribjoerutter/status/1050429937126203392)
Courtesy of http://MyBookie.AG (https://t.co/YRu6SpQ95o), odds on which team Le'Veon Bell will play for after Oct. 30:
Eagles +150
Steelers +200
Buccaneers +500
Vikings +500
Raiders +600
Dolphins +700
9:56 AM - Oct 11, 2018 (https://twitter.com/tribjoerutter/status/1050429937126203392)
1 (https://twitter.com/intent/like?tweet_id=1050429937126203392)
See Joe Rutter's other Tweets (https://twitter.com/tribjoerutter)
I thought this was pretty interesting, Eagles are actually odds favorite to get LB when he dons a uniform again.
Rotorhead
10-11-2018, 08:34 PM
Do they have a good ILB they can trade?
BlackAndGold
10-11-2018, 09:07 PM
I think Eagles land McCoy at the deadline.
Philly are unlikely to trade any of their defensive players, they're already struggling on that side of the ball as it is.
I'll be surprised if Bell is moved.
Fire Goodell
10-11-2018, 11:49 PM
1049362176664854529
Conner is no joke. Like Pouncey said if this kid never got cancer he could have been a first round pick
His 40 time in the combine is proof that combine numbers don't necessarily equal football speed. He definitely looks faster than Bell
86WARD
10-12-2018, 08:55 AM
What about the Redskins? They have picks and money to be able to do it and they also have Daniel Snyder...
The Guice is out, Peterson is hurt, Thompson is hobbling...
AtlantaDan
10-12-2018, 09:09 AM
What about the Redskins? They have picks and money to be able to do it and they also have Daniel Snyder...
The Guice is out, Peterson is hurt, Thompson is hobbling...
As discussed in this article posted this morning, this writer agrees with you signing Le'Veon is the type of move Danny Snyder has been pulling off for decades
Trading for Le’Veon Bell is the type of move the Redskins might have made in previous years. It would be a big splash for a marquee name. It would happen at the cost of a future asset. It would add a combustible element to already delicate locker room for the sake of a talented player’s past performance. It would be straight out of the playbook that has landed Washington in its two-decade pit of mediocre-at-best football.
But unlike the Eagles they are not just one piece away from a deep playoff run
Do the Redskins look like a team close enough to a Super Bowl that it could wisely skip the second round of the draft next year for a half-a-year rental of Bell? The Redskins need more depth in their secondary and offensive line and more talent everywhere, especially wide receiver. The Redskins are not a running back away from real contention. They’re just about an entire team away.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2018/10/12/should-redskins-trade-leveon-bell/?utm_term=.a96e02acee8f
So since it makes little sense Snyder is probably pushing hard to make it happen. :chuckle:
86WARD
10-12-2018, 02:51 PM
Getting Bell and signing him long term to a mega deal would take a little bit of heat off Snyder and the debacle that is the Redskins roster though...for Snyder at least. May also lessen the sting of losing Kirk Cousins if Snyder spins it as he used Cousins money to get Bell?
86WARD
10-14-2018, 10:22 AM
So if Bell is so smart, why wouldn’t he report yesterday, collect $850k for showing up, collect another $850k for doing nothing in the bye week and then go to work when he gets back. I honestly think we may be looking at him showing Week 10. Anything else is, at this point, just nonsense unless he’s looking for a trade deal.
He’s wasted in the neighborhood of $5M which he will never get back...ever...
AtlantaDan
10-14-2018, 11:21 AM
So if Bell is so smart, why wouldn’t he report yesterday, collect $850k for showing up, collect another $850k for doing nothing in the bye week and then go to work when he gets back. I honestly think we may be looking at him showing Week 10. Anything else is, at this point, just nonsense unless he’s looking for a trade deal.
He’s wasted in the neighborhood of $5M which he will never get back...ever...
Big if there
Bell remains a man of mystery as of this morning
Although Le'Veon Bell (http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/15825/leveon-bell) has been planning to report to the Steelers (http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/pit/pittsburgh-steelers) in time to be ready for their Oct. 28 game against the Browns (http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/cle/cleveland-browns), Pittsburgh team officials and players have not heard anything from the star running back, sources told ESPN.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24978960/pittsburgh-steelers-heard-leveon-bell-star-rb-plan-return
FrancoLambert
10-14-2018, 03:34 PM
Nobody cares any more.
We have James Conner showing he’s a lead running back.
polamalubeast
10-14-2018, 03:49 PM
Stay away Le'Veon....
1051562249884643328
BlackAndGold
10-14-2018, 03:51 PM
Bell is going to be one expensive backup.
43Hitman
10-14-2018, 04:11 PM
Well if he shows up with the right attitude we have one helluva backfield.
86WARD
10-14-2018, 06:18 PM
Rappaport reporting that the Bills are highly unlikely to trade McCoy to Eagles.
polamalubeast
10-14-2018, 06:32 PM
As I said before the season, I hope that Bell will not play another snap in his life with the steelers.
If he comeback, Bell will not be very good in the first few games since he will not be in football shape .....
I'm not surprised by the season of James Conner, since DeAngelo Williams at the age of 32 in 2015 had a very good season with us.
Shoes
10-14-2018, 06:44 PM
As I said before the season, I hope that Bell will not play another snap in his life with the steelers.
If he comeback, Bell will not be very good in the first few games since he will not be in football shape .....
I'm not surprised by the season of James Conner, since DeAngelo Williams at the age of 32 in 2015 had a very good season with us.
He probably looks like JaMarcus Russell.
saturdaysarebetter
10-14-2018, 06:52 PM
Well if he shows up with the right attitude we have one helluva backfield.
That's one hell of a big IF.
Steelerchad
10-14-2018, 07:43 PM
Through 6 games this year vs. the first 6 games last year, Conner has 4 total yards more than Bell on 35 less touches, 2 more TD's, and has made about 5% of the money Bell would have made if he reported.
Bell is an unnecessary luxury at this point. Sure, he's a great player, but he is not worth $15M/yr.
43Hitman
10-14-2018, 07:47 PM
Through 6 games this year vs. the first 6 games last year, Conner has 4 total yards more than Bell on 35 less touches, 2 more TD's, and has made about 5% of the money Bell would have made if he reported.
Bell is an unnecessary luxury at this point. Sure, he's a great player, but he is not worth $15M/yr.
It's about 10M now.
polamalubeast
10-14-2018, 07:48 PM
Through 6 games this year vs. the first 6 games last year, Conner has 4 total yards more than Bell on 35 less touches, 2 more TD's, and has made about 5% of the money Bell would have made if he reported.
Bell is an unnecessary luxury at this point. Sure, he's a great player, but he is not worth $15M/yr.
And most importantly, the steelers score 28 PPG right now vs. about 20 PPG in the first 6 games of last year.
Only in the second half against Baltimore and the game against the Browns when Ben was a turnovers machine(which Conner had no control on that) that we were not good in offense.
AtlantaDan
10-14-2018, 07:59 PM
Through 6 games this year vs. the first 6 games last year, Conner has 4 total yards more than Bell on 35 less touches, 2 more TD's, and has made about 5% of the money Bell would have made if he reported.
Bell is an unnecessary luxury at this point. Sure, he's a great player, but he is not worth $15M/yr.
Teams with access to a lot more data than we have that are considering whether to open the bank vault for Bell may be reaching a similar conclusion after watching what Conner has done after being supported by the same offensive players Bell played with in 2017
Bell not reporting obviously was a bad decision for maximizing his 2018 income - it might turn out to be bad for future seasons as well
teegre
10-14-2018, 08:28 PM
Well if he shows up with the right attitude we have one helluva backfield.
If his attitude is correct, it would indeed be a scary backfield.
If...
43Hitman
10-14-2018, 09:32 PM
If his attitude is correct, it would indeed be a scary backfield.
If...
Well, as you know, I'm a glass is half full kind of fan.
Fire Goodell
10-14-2018, 11:33 PM
Bell doesn't want to get traded, he's not going to report until after the trade deadline
If he signs with a team and flops, the doesn't get his big contract. Bigger chance of a flop not running behind the Steelers o line
BlackAndGold
10-14-2018, 11:41 PM
Bell doesn't want to get traded, he's not going to report until after the trade deadline
This is the perfect time for Bell to return. Gets a Bye week which will create more time to get ready with practice reps.
It's the smart plan, but doubt Bell understands that.
JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue
10-14-2018, 11:48 PM
I welcome him and best one in two punch in the NFL. We can win games alone just on the running attack.
Steeler-in-west
10-15-2018, 12:35 AM
Bell’s stock has to be down after today
His absence has allowed Conner (and the O-line) to shine, this confirms a big part of the secret to his success.
teegre
10-15-2018, 06:52 AM
Just heard Adam Schefter saying that he’s confident that Bell reports this week.
Hmmm...
AtlantaDan
10-15-2018, 07:24 AM
Just heard Adam Schefter saying that he’s confident that Bell reports this week.
Hmmm...
Jason La Canfora still pounding his drum for a trade
The Steelers (https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/page/PIT/pittsburgh-steelers) still have yet to hear anything from Le'Veon Bell (https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1751828/leveon-bell) or his agent about if or when the running back plans to sign his franchise tag and report, sources said, and the team remains hopeful of trading the star....
At one point his agent, Adisa Bakari, told Steelers officials not to read much into the reports of a possible Week 7 appearance, ...
The market for Bell has been slow to form, league sources said....
There is a hope within the Steelers' organization that the Eagles jump back in
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/steelers-havent-heard-from-leveon-bell-or-his-agent-remain-hopeful-of-trading-star-running-back/
So the Steelers are still on speaking terms with the agent and Bakari has told them do not believe anything my client says - cannot imagine why a deal could not be worked out:noidea:
(https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/steelers-havent-heard-from-leveon-bell-or-his-agent-remain-hopeful-of-trading-star-running-back/)
polamalubeast
10-15-2018, 07:59 AM
1051799093427757057
T&B fan
10-15-2018, 08:28 AM
why this 2 headed running backfield might not work , 2 different running style .going to be hard for the O line the block for them both ,
steelreserve
10-15-2018, 08:57 AM
why this 2 headed running backfield might not work , 2 different running style .going to be hard for the O line the block for them both ,
Bigger reason why a two-headed running attack won't work: Only one RB at a time.
I don't even mean that they won't have two RBs on the field at once. They will only use one RB per game, and the other one will not even get off the bench. 10+ years Tomlin has done it that way, and he's not going to change it now for a silly reason like having two talented players.
polamalubeast
10-15-2018, 09:55 AM
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polamalubeast
10-15-2018, 10:03 AM
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AtlantaDan
10-15-2018, 10:06 AM
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If it is for a touchdown massive cheering
The Unabomber would get cheers if he made the crucial first down
The Bark
10-15-2018, 10:06 AM
Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't Connor already had two or three longer runs than Bell's longest last year (if not, they're awfully close.)
EzraTank
10-15-2018, 10:07 AM
For whom the Bell tolls ... when will we find out ...
I need to know because I drafted Conner and he's got my fantasy team in first place. The guy that drafted Bell is in dead last. If Bell shows I'm working on a deal (keeper league) to get both Bell and Conner!
polamalubeast
10-15-2018, 11:25 AM
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Fire Goodell
10-15-2018, 11:49 AM
Bell should back up Conner and be the highest paid backup in the league. Honestly with James doing as well as he has, it'd be a travesty if he got benched.
Right now the offense is humming and has some good chemistry going. The last thing you want to do is throw a curveball at it. I don't care how good Bell has been, he's a different fit than Conner and the o-line I feel, has already adjusted to his running style.
DesertSteel
10-15-2018, 12:01 PM
I’d be happy to get a 7th round pick for Bell at this point. Otherwise I’d just rescind.
AtlantaDan
10-15-2018, 12:38 PM
I’d be happy to get a 7th round pick for Bell at this point. Otherwise I’d just rescind.
If they rescind Bell could go to an AFC playoff contender - if they cannot control where he lands I am confident the Steelers will eat the salary and take the third round pick in 2019 as compensation rather than risk Bell going to the Patriots
Of course whoever trades for Bell could then flip him for a better pick and/or player than they traded to the Steelers
DesertSteel
10-15-2018, 12:44 PM
If they rescind Bell could go to an AFC playoff contender - if they cannot control where he lands I am confident the Steelers will eat the salary and take the third round pick in 2019 as compensation rather than risk Bell going to the Patriots
Of course whoever trades for Bell could then flip him for a better pick and/or player than they traded to the Steelers
That's why I'd take a 7th, just to control where he went. But, if I was the OWNER, I'd rescind rather than pay him $10M+ to do a job that is already trending to be done better than him. As a fan, I don't care if they waste $10M, but the Rooneys aren't the richest people in the world.
Fire Goodell
10-15-2018, 12:47 PM
That's why I'd take a 7th, just to control where he went. But, if I was the OWNER, I'd rescind rather than pay him $10M+ to do a job that is already trending to be done better than him.
The 10M really doesn't matter at this point in the season, he was already scheduled to be on the books longer. Ideally I'd like to trade him, but I feel that he doesn't want to be traded since that's a bigger risk to his stock. He knows he'll produce behind the Steelers O-line, AND at the same time with Conner blowing up, he won't get a crap ton of carries which can only help his stock for getting a contract next year.
Just the way I see it, it makes the most financial sense for Bell to stay with the Steelers and sign after the trade deadline. He'll still look good running behind the Steeler o-line, and he won't be getting over 150 carries (IMO). He has to know he's not getting the starting job just handed to him, but I don't think he wants that workload. He only is interested in the $$$, then after the season he can be all like "Hey look at me! And I didn't get a full season of wear and tear so pay me like I deserve to be paid last year!!"
DesertSteel
10-15-2018, 12:49 PM
$10M doesn't matter unless it's coming out of YOUR pocket!
Fire Goodell
10-15-2018, 12:53 PM
10M out of my own pocket would go to hookers and blow, not Le'Veon Bell :chuckle:
AtlantaDan
10-15-2018, 12:55 PM
That's why I'd take a 7th, just to control where he went. But, if I was the OWNER, I'd rescind rather than pay him $10M+ to do a job that is already trending to be done better than him. As a fan, I don't care if they waste $10M, but the Rooneys aren't the richest people in the world.
The Chief bought the franchise for $2500 - it currently is valued at over $2.5 billion with an 8% debt/value ratio - maybe not the richest owners but they do not need to put the utility bills on the Mastercard
https://www.forbes.com/teams/pittsburgh-steelers/
Since the $10M is not coming out of AJRII's bank account and will just go to next year's cap if they rescind I assume the Rooneys are as much about not helping conference foes (Ravens, particularly Pats) win Lombardis as they are kicking the $10 million into next year's cap
DesertSteel
10-15-2018, 12:58 PM
10M out of my own pocket would go to hookers and blow, not Le'Veon Bell :chuckle:
Those are LeVeon's plans for the money...
steelreserve
10-15-2018, 01:03 PM
The $10 million will get spent on something anyway, it's not like the owner is keeping it personally. But yes, there are better things to use that cap space for than paying Leveon Bell to not play football.
BlackAndGold
10-15-2018, 05:40 PM
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polamalubeast
10-15-2018, 05:47 PM
1051960757481590784
who?
DesertSteel
10-15-2018, 06:05 PM
1051960757481590784
Great news!
dislocatedday
10-15-2018, 06:40 PM
My prediciton is that he shows up week 10 so he can get credit for the accrued season. This way, he has no chance of getting traded. At that point, the Steelers could choose to rescind the tag (losing the comp pick if they do so) in which case Bell gets to sign with whatever team he wants this season, or choose to sit out the remainder of this year and sign with a new team in the offseason. If the Steelers do not rescind the tag, he joins the team for the remainder of the season, gets a few million $$$, and then goes on his merry way in the offseason.
Bell has already said he does not want to get traded this year, and his only way to control that is to show up after the trade deadline.
Whatever happens in the future, I really do not think he is going to get anywhere close to the money the Steelers offered this past year. I know it is all about the guaranteed money, but with his past history, I really do not see any team giving him Todd Gurley guaranteed money like he thinks he is going to get.
86WARD
10-15-2018, 08:54 PM
If they rescind Bell could go to an AFC playoff contender - if they cannot control where he lands I am confident the Steelers will eat the salary and take the third round pick in 2019 as compensation rather than risk Bell going to the Patriots
Of course whoever trades for Bell could then flip him for a better pick and/or player than they traded to the Steelers
Bell won’t go to NE. They have Michel who is doing great. Theyll be looking to spend on a WR.
polamalubeast
10-15-2018, 08:55 PM
:idiot:
86WARD
10-15-2018, 08:57 PM
That's why I'd take a 7th, just to control where he went. But, if I was the OWNER, I'd rescind rather than pay him $10M+ to do a job that is already trending to be done better than him. As a fan, I don't care if they waste $10M, but the Rooneys aren't the richest people in the world.
Nope. That’s just cutting off your nose to spite your face. Right now, worst case is a third round pick in 2020. Who cares where he goes...his value is droppping week by week as he makes himself look like an ass, gets further and further out of Football shape and the better Conner foes on a week by week basis combined with how well DeAngelo Williams does shows that maybe Bell isn’t all he’s cracked up to be.
I’m not convinced he’s going to show this season...lol.
43Hitman
10-15-2018, 09:00 PM
Also another little detail about his accrued season. It doesn't count the playoffs, so technically he could show week 10 and leave as soon as the playoffs start and still get credit for his season
86WARD
10-15-2018, 09:04 PM
Also another little detail about his accrued season. It doesn't count the playoffs, so technically he could show week 10 and leave as soon as the playoffs start and still get credit for his season
He could but I think that would hurt his value even more...big time...
DesertSteel
10-15-2018, 09:05 PM
I’m not convinced he’s going to show this season...lol.
He is possibly the dumbest pro athlete of this generation.
teegre
10-15-2018, 09:06 PM
Also another little detail about his accrued season. It doesn't count the playoffs, so technically he could show week 10 and leave as soon as the playoffs start and still get credit for his season
Yep :nod:
43Hitman
10-15-2018, 09:07 PM
He could but I think that would hurt his value even more...big time...
Me too, I doubt anyone would sign him then. I was just saying that it is a possible scenario.
AtlantaDan
10-15-2018, 09:25 PM
He is possibly the dumbest pro athlete of this generation.
Aaron Hernandez ended up hanging himself in prison - just sayin'
Although a 17 on the Wonderlic for Bell is pretty bad (Bryant and Kordell pulled down a 14)
http://wonderlictestsample.com/nfl-wonderlic-scores/
Fan letter to Bell at SI.com for keeping it real
With His Holdout, Le'Veon Bell Rips a Page from the NBA Playbook
Football fans are shaking their head. But a lot of NBA players are watching him and nodding in agreement.
https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/10/15/leveon-bell-free-agency-steelers-timberwolves-jimmy-butler
DesertSteel
10-15-2018, 10:02 PM
Aaron Hernandez ended up hanging himself in prison - just sayin'
Although a 17 on the Wonderlic for Bell is pretty bad (Bryant and Kordell pulled down a 14)
http://wonderlictestsample.com/nfl-wonderlic-scores/
Fan letter to Bell at SI.com for keeping it real
With His Holdout, Le'Veon Bell Rips a Page from the NBA Playbook
Football fans are shaking their head. But a lot of NBA players are watching him and nodding in agreement.
https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/10/15/leveon-bell-free-agency-steelers-timberwolves-jimmy-butler
Ok... financially dumb!
steelreserve
10-15-2018, 10:21 PM
Nope. That’s just cutting off your nose to spite your face. Right now, worst case is a third round pick in 2020. Who cares where he goes...his value is droppping week by week as he makes himself look like an ass, gets further and further out of Football shape and the better Conner foes on a week by week basis combined with how well DeAngelo Williams does shows that maybe Bell isn’t all he’s cracked up to be.
I’m not convinced he’s going to show this season...lol.
Actually, the worst case is nothing. You are not guaranteed a third-round comp pick - or any comp pick, for that patter. Roll the dice on how many free agents come and go, how much Bell signs for elsewhere, and whether the NFL's black box algorithm deems Bell to be worth more than whoever else we brought in.
We will have a minimum of $14-15 million in extra cap space to work with next year, (from Shazier's expiring contract as well as whatever Bell gives up and is carried over and added to next year's total), possibly up to $24 million if Bell does not sign at all or is released/traded. Plus the roughly $15 million that we will NOT be paying Bell on a long-term contract. So likely up to $40 million in money that we will have available to spend that we were not counting on having. That means there is a great chance we will bring in more free agents than we lose. We very well might not get anything in the way of comp picks, and holding onto Bell for that reason may be a huge blunder.
The equation is basically going to be: Do we want $6 million in cap space next year, or a ticket in a drawing for a possible 3rd-round pick the following season? Is that a very good price to pay? Which one will help us more with the "win now" goal before Ben retires?
In those terms, we might as well just cut Bell loose right now, unless we think he is somehow going to come in and do $6 million worth of good over the last 6 games of the regular season. Personally, I think he is not going to play at all this year anyway and will not re-sign with the Steelers at any price, so might as well just take the cash.
EzraTank
10-16-2018, 10:32 AM
Bell won’t go to NE. They have Michel who is doing great. Theyll be looking to spend on a WR.
True, but Michael is a rookie on a rookie deal. I could see them renting Bell and letting him walk after the season. But they also do have James White who is pretty dare good especially in the playoffs. But Belichick isn't dumb and I could see him signing him for the rest of the year just to spite the Steelers.
Bell to Philly makes the most sense but I think they are way up against the cap.
polamalubeast
10-16-2018, 12:28 PM
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Craic
10-16-2018, 12:34 PM
Nope. That’s just cutting off your nose to spite your face. Right now, worst case is a third round pick in 2020.
That's actually not true. There's a very good chance we wont get anything for him, even as a compensatory pick because of our other action in free agency. I've read that in a couple of different places. So, worst case is Bell leaves, and we get nothing for him, but open up 15 million in cap room.
Born2Steel
10-16-2018, 12:36 PM
That's actually not true. There's a very good chance we wont get anything for him, even as a compensatory pick because of our other action in free agency. I've read that in a couple of different places. So, worst case is Bell leaves, and we get nothing for him, but open up 15 million in cap room.
You mean...if we add Patrick Peterson...
polamalubeast
10-16-2018, 01:13 PM
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AtlantaDan
10-16-2018, 01:23 PM
1052260092018475008
Master Motivator Ben Roethlisberger says Le'Veon will not be able to play for "at least" 3 weeks after he returns:stirthepot: :sofunny:
Video of Bell after he hears about that jab from Ben
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiaY40FE-HA
HollywoodSteel
10-16-2018, 01:59 PM
For what it’s worth, Bell apparently told a blogger he’ll be back next Monday
https://www.google.com/amp/s/syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/2801181-leveon-bell-confirms-to-blogger-in-miami-he-will-report-to-steelers-on-monday.amp.html
- - - Updated - - -
I don’t know if that link is worthy of its own thread. Probably not, so I just posted it here. If the MODs feel differently I’m sure they’ll move it. :)
86WARD
10-16-2018, 02:01 PM
That's actually not true. There's a very good chance we wont get anything for him, even as a compensatory pick because of our other action in free agency. I've read that in a couple of different places. So, worst case is Bell leaves, and we get nothing for him, but open up 15 million in cap room.
Sure that is possible but highly unlikely as the Steelers really are never that involved in free agency and if they are overly involved, great...I’d take some quality free agents to balance the loss of Bell out. Either way you win.
HollywoodSteel
10-16-2018, 02:15 PM
I still think outright cutting him will be a mistake. And we can’t trade him until he signs his tender.
I don’t think he likes the idea of the Steelers controlling his fate, even for the rest of this year so he’s probably not signing until Oct. 30th or close enough to it to make a trade difficult.
If I’m Bell (and I really don’t claim to understand his thinking) I wouldn’t want to be traded to a place with a new system and worse Oline, because I might have to remind everyone what I’m worth in FA.
The Steelers are really the perfect situation for him for the remainder of ‘18:
The Steelers will not rush him onto the field until he’s absolutely ready because the Steelers don’t need or want to. Any team willing to trade for him will rush him out there.
He will get the reduced work load he WANTS from the Steelers.
And if the Steelers just sit Bell because they don’t think he helps the team, Bell can blame the Steelers for sitting him out of spite even though he was ready to perform.
HollywoodSteel
10-16-2018, 02:21 PM
Plus we might all be forgetting that Lev Bell is still Lev Bell and honestly COULD be that tiny difference that helps us win a Super Bowl.
I’m not saying bench Conner, but if the Steelers have Bell and can’t find a way to use him then they don’t deserve to win a Super Bowl. And what’s worse is that it will be difficult to find a way to blame Haley for it. ;)
vader29
10-16-2018, 03:40 PM
For what it’s worth, Bell apparently told a blogger he’ll be back next Monday
https://www.google.com/amp/s/syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/2801181-leveon-bell-confirms-to-blogger-in-miami-he-will-report-to-steelers-on-monday.amp.html
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I don’t know if that link is worthy of its own thread. Probably not, so I just posted it here. If the MODs feel differently I’m sure they’ll move it. :)
Fake news:
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TD's & Beer
10-16-2018, 04:02 PM
OH, THE DRAMA
...there is some belief he may wait until after the trade deadline on Tuesday, Oct. 30 to report. Doing so would shut down any opportunity the Steelers have of trading him -- they cannot do so until he signs his franchise tender
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/when-will-leveon-bell-come-back-to-steelers-rb-flips-plans-doesnt-show-up-for-bye-week/
T&B fan
10-16-2018, 06:25 PM
if hes not signed by the browns game , 28th , Sunday morning we should cut him and be done with the drama .
Craic
10-16-2018, 07:03 PM
You mean...if we add Patrick Peterson...
Nope. What if Bell doesn't get the offer he wants and decides to walk away? Part of the compensatory formula is how the player performs the following year, according to OTC. Injured? Same thing. Of course, a trade or cutting him once he signs negates any pick at all. And, if we rescind the tag, it means he goes in this year's crop. The way Bostic's been playing, it'll pretty much cancel out anything we might get for Bell if the tag is rescinded.
Of course, then, there's next year's free agency. If we have another shazier type injury, retirement, or so on, we're going to have to go shopping. If we buy in free agency, there's a very good chance that will lower or outright cancel the compensatory pick as well unless we just pick up the league's trash.
So, no, there are plenty of ways in which the we won't get a compensatory pick. I'll note, however, I said "very good" in my previous post. I'm backing off that because I was confusing a compensatory pick in 2019 for actions now vs. a pick in 2020 for losing him in FA next spring.
Butch
10-16-2018, 07:16 PM
I don't care if we get a plug nickle for him I would LOVE to see the steelers rip up his offer and let him go on his way. They won't but I would still LOVE it if they did
polamalubeast
10-16-2018, 07:44 PM
Nope. What if Bell doesn't get the offer he wants and decides to walk away? Part of the compensatory formula is how the player performs the following year, according to OTC. Injured? Same thing. Of course, a trade or cutting him once he signs negates any pick at all. And, if we rescind the tag, it means he goes in this year's crop. The way Bostic's been playing, it'll pretty much cancel out anything we might get for Bell if the tag is rescinded.
Of course, then, there's next year's free agency. If we have another shazier type injury, retirement, or so on, we're going to have to go shopping. If we buy in free agency, there's a very good chance that will lower or outright cancel the compensatory pick as well unless we just pick up the league's trash.
So, no, there are plenty of ways in which the we won't get a compensatory pick. I'll note, however, I said "very good" in my previous post. I'm backing off that because I was confusing a compensatory pick in 2019 for actions now vs. a pick in 2020 for losing him in FA next spring.
The only thing that counts for the compensation pick is the salary
The steelers had a 3rd round draft pick for Mike Wallace even though he was average in his first year with Miami and only a 5th round draft pick for Sanders despite his monster year in 2014 with Denver.
Dwinsgames
10-16-2018, 08:11 PM
As the NFL explains, compensatory picks are awarded to teams that lose more or better compensatory free agents than they acquire. The number of picks a team can receive equals the net loss of compensatory free agents, up to a maximum of four. Compensatory free agents are determined by a secret formula based on salary, playing time and postseason honors. Not every free agent lost or signed is covered by the formula.
Although the formula has never been revealed, by studying the compensatory picks that have been awarded since they began in 1994, I’ve determined that the primary factor in the value of the picks awarded is the average annual value of the contract the player signed with his new team, with an adjustment for playing time and a smaller adjustment for postseason honors.
https://overthecap.com/the-basics-and-methodology-of-projecting-the-nfls-compensatory-draft-picks/
86WARD
10-16-2018, 08:13 PM
if hes not signed by the browns game , 28th , Sunday morning we should cut him and be done with the drama .
Why would you cut a RB that is potentially one of the best in the league. If he doesn’t want to be traded great. Utilize him as much as you can to preserve Conner. It’s really not a bad problem to have and there’s really no drama surrounding it...it’s a holdout that’s gone too long...it is what it is and the team is over it.
Dwinsgames
10-17-2018, 09:06 AM
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dpty4etXcAIQ48H.jpg:large
tube517
10-17-2018, 09:59 AM
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dpty4etXcAIQ48H.jpg:large
JC's got alot more "Splash" plays than Leave'on
Bell made it personal and should have taken the $, but he wanted to be the big swinging dick in the locker room. It is going to cost him. That kind of stunt never works as planned.
polamalubeast
10-17-2018, 01:21 PM
JC's got alot more "Splash" plays than Leave'on
1052562709882040320
GoSlash27
10-18-2018, 08:00 PM
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dpty4etXcAIQ48H.jpg:large
Much ado about nuthin', but I feel the need to remind everyone: Franco Harris had 6 consecutive 100 yd+ games. Ponder that achievement back in the day when football was a full- on bloodsport.
Best,
-Slashy
polamalubeast
10-21-2018, 02:04 PM
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st33lersguy
10-21-2018, 02:06 PM
1054049680676421632
Now he wants to get paid without showing up
Shoes
10-21-2018, 02:51 PM
What a tool.
smokin3000gt
10-21-2018, 03:36 PM
I don't think Bell has any cards or leverage left to play as much as he wishes he does... he either shows up week 10 or he doesn't. I think the steelers have pretty much 'let go' of the situation and have moved on. Next!
steelreserve
10-21-2018, 09:50 PM
Now he wants to get paid without showing up
I think more like he wants to show up out of shape and get paid for not even being on the active roster. What a tool.
Lady Steel
10-21-2018, 10:31 PM
Bell's got a lot of nerve. What a douche canoe.
pczach
10-21-2018, 11:35 PM
The team doesn't have to agree to anything. You get paid when you show up.......period.
I would be shocked if they agree to what he's asking for. I know I wouldn't.
polamalubeast
10-22-2018, 07:16 AM
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Unsurprisingly, Bell is not very popular in Pittsburgh ...
fansince'76
10-22-2018, 07:18 AM
1052981202947362816
This is also absolute BS. :chuckle:
polamalubeast
10-22-2018, 07:25 AM
When was the last time we saw a Pittsburgh players who was still with the team (I include the pirates and the penguins too) be unpopular as Bell is right now ... Barry Bonds?
Mike Wallace was not very popular in his last year, but not like Bell is right now ...
43Hitman
10-22-2018, 08:18 AM
Plaxico did a pretty good job of pissing people off in Pittsburgh too.
polamalubeast
10-22-2018, 08:31 AM
Plaxico did a pretty good job of pissing people off in Pittsburgh too.
I had thought about Plaxico but I think his comments when he said that the people of Pittsburgh were racist were when he was with the giants.But Yes, Plaxico deserves consideration, same for Wallace.
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polamalubeast
10-22-2018, 08:43 AM
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EzraTank
10-22-2018, 01:11 PM
So in three years will Conner be holding out? :peep:
AtlantaDan
10-22-2018, 02:28 PM
No Bell today - Steelers are not pining away for him
“In our locker room we’re not even worried about it,” defensive captain Cameron Heyward said. “It’s unfair for me to even talk about him. He’ll have to answer his questions when he wants to. We’re not talking about him right now. We have the Cleveland Browns. If he joins along the way, so be it. It’s not fair to everybody in this locker room and Le’Veon himself to keep talking about him.”...
“You have to roll with what’s in front of you,” veteran offensive lineman Ramon Foster said Monday afternoon. “Right now, we just had a practice without him. Who knows, maybe we’ll see him. I haven’t talked to him, nobody has.”
https://triblive.com/sports/steelers/14202671-74/stop-if-youve-heard-this-before-no-sign-of-leveon-bell-at
polamalubeast
10-22-2018, 04:32 PM
1054484574623940608
Now Bell does not want a trade? Then why hold out? He's not getting any younger or smarter.
Craic
10-22-2018, 06:24 PM
Now Bell does not want a trade? Then why hold out? He's not getting any younger or smarter.
His holdout was never about a trade. He never wanted that. It was about saving himself for free-agency so he enters it without injury.
polamalubeast
10-22-2018, 07:18 PM
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steelreserve
10-22-2018, 07:42 PM
Now Bell does not want a trade? Then why hold out? He's not getting any younger or smarter.
If he does not sign by the trade deadline, it is obvious his endgame is to collect a paycheck for doing nothing for half the season, and we should release him at 3:59 on the deadline day or he will sign at 4:01 and we will be stuck with the bill. $7.5 million for not playing.
lipps83
10-22-2018, 07:59 PM
Does anyone seeing any team at all signing him for what he wants?
At this point, I don't think so.
Shoes
10-22-2018, 08:13 PM
1054522039506268160
Well the RB coach from the other team can have him. What does it matter if Bell is the only one who can go full stop to full speed when playing. He has performed less than Conner, so its smoke and mirrors and BS, like Bell was never tackled by one tackler.
Craic
10-22-2018, 08:19 PM
Well the RB coach from the other team can have him. What does it matter if Bell is the only one who can go full stop to full speed when playing. He has performed less than Conner, so its smoke and mirrors and BS, like Bell was never tackled by one tackler.
Actually, it's "never tackled by the first tackler," and that's quite a bit closer to the truth. Bell most often made the first guy miss, and often times, the second and third guy as well.
Shoes
10-22-2018, 08:36 PM
Actually, it's "never tackled by the first tackler," and that's quite a bit closer to the truth. Bell most often made the first guy miss, and often times, the second and third guy as well.
Thanks, but its still BS as per the RB coach's statement, "NEVER" tackled by the first tackler. Like Bell was never tackled by the first tackler. Please take him away.
HollywoodSteel
10-22-2018, 08:36 PM
Does anyone seeing any team at all signing him for what he wants?
At this point, I don't think so.
I’m not sure about getting what he wants. But if he hits free agency healthy he’ll get a lot. And whatever it is, his agent will spin it in a way to claim victory. No matter what the results are, Bell will claim he got exactly what he wanted. If someone runs the numbers and claim his decisions cost him money, he can always fall back on “it was never about the money... it was about respect” or some other thing.
Bell will claim forever that he wanted to reset the RB market. Which he did. If there had never been any Bell saga - like if he had just agreed to long term deal the Steelers offered years ago before they had to start tagging him, Gurley would not have gotten the deal he got.
Bell will always have that PR spin in his pocket “I took the hate and the fallout all onto myself to reset the market for all of us, and I did. If I sacrificed any money or goodwill for it, so be it...” etc.
He’ll never admit to a mistake. He already has cover to claim that he achieved his
To me his greatest crime was deceiving his teammates. Everything else is just decisions he’s entitled to make based on whatever criteria he wants. He was never a problem teammate and he always played with heart.
I think he’s weird and everything, and I think he acted against my PREFERENCES. But if he the Steelers got a GREAT DEAL for what they got out of him for the money they paid.
For his rookie contract he was the best value in the NFL. He played under the conditions of a CBA he never signed. I still don’t agree with him but I don’t hate him. If he comes back the Steelers will be better off for it and we should root for him as long as he suits up and gives it his all like he always has. If he dogs it or fakes an injury... then maybe I’ll hate him. :)
86WARD
10-22-2018, 09:27 PM
Does anyone seeing any team at all signing him for what he wants?
At this point, I don't think so.
Of course. Teams overpay everyday. The Cowboys just gave up a first round pick for Amari Cooper...lol.
86WARD
10-22-2018, 09:29 PM
If he does not sign by the trade deadline, it is obvious his endgame is to collect a paycheck for doing nothing for half the season, and we should release him at 3:59 on the deadline day or he will sign at 4:01 and we will be stuck with the bill. $7.5 million for not playing.
They can force him to play and if he doesn’t he can be suspended for conduct detrimental to the team and hurt his value even more...same if he comes in and half asses it. All that will be on tape for other teams to see.
86WARD
10-22-2018, 09:30 PM
I’m not sure about getting what he wants. But if he hits free agency healthy he’ll get a lot. And whatever it is, his agent will spin it in a way to claim victory. No matter what the results are, Bell will claim he got exactly what he wanted. If someone runs the numbers and claim his decisions cost him money, he can always fall back on “it was never about the money... it was about respect” or some other thing.
Bell will claim forever that he wanted to reset the RB market. Which he did. If there had never been any Bell saga - like if he had just agreed to long term deal the Steelers offered years ago before they had to start tagging him, Gurley would not have gotten the deal he got.
Bell will always have that PR spin in his pocket “I took the hate and the fallout all onto myself to reset the market for all of us, and I did. If I sacrificed any money or goodwill for it, so be it...” etc.
He’ll never admit to a mistake. He already has cover to claim that he achieved his
To me his greatest crime was deceiving his teammates. Everything else is just decisions he’s entitled to make based on whatever criteria he wants. He was never a problem teammate and he always played with heart.
I think he’s weird and everything, and I think he acted against my PREFERENCES. But if he the Steelers got a GREAT DEAL for what they got out of him for the money they paid.
For his rookie contract he was the best value in the NFL. He played under the conditions of a CBA he never signed. I still don’t agree with him but I don’t hate him. If he comes back the Steelers will be better off for it and we should root for him as long as he suits up and gives it his all like he always has. If he dogs it or fakes an injury... then maybe I’ll hate him. :)
Agree. Good post Hollywood.
Craic
10-22-2018, 09:35 PM
Thanks, but its still BS as per the RB coach's statement, "NEVER" tackled by the first tackler. Like Bell was never tackled by the first tackler. Please take him away.
"Never," I'm sure, is hyperbole. Bell is pretty illusive and has also shown he can run over people as well. What I don't get is how it is so difficult to separate Bell the horrible business man from Bell the dang good football player.
Shoes
10-22-2018, 09:48 PM
"Never," I'm sure, is hyperbole. Bell is pretty illusive and has also shown he can run over people as well. What I don't get is how it is so difficult to separate Bell the horrible business man from Bell the dang good football player.
Whats to separate, he’s greedy, not playing football and doubt he’ll play football for the Steelers again, at least at his previous level.
T&B fan
10-22-2018, 11:02 PM
If he does not sign by the trade deadline, it is obvious his endgame is to collect a paycheck for doing nothing for half the season, and we should release him at 3:59 on the deadline day or he will sign at 4:01 and we will be stuck with the bill. $7.5 million for not playing.
I have said close to the same thing . only do it after or before the Browns game Sunday ..
also I think he only gets $6 million
steelreserve
10-23-2018, 01:19 AM
I have said close to the same thing . only do it after or before the Browns game Sunday ..
also I think he only gets $6 million
If he signs Week 10 at the franchise tag deadline, he gets about $6 million. If he signs right after the trade deadline in Week 8, he'd get two weeks' more pay.
Now he can come in and be in whatever shape he wants, and chill and probably not have to play much if at all. "Here I am, you HAVE to pay me, so now deal with me," his best chance for getting a half-season's pay without having to work hard for it. If he got traded to another team, he'd have the spotlight on him, they'd want him to be the centerpiece of the offense, and just kicking back and having a bad half-season would be a big negative for his next contract.
Maximum $$$, minimum work. The Steelers are the only team where he can get away with it and weirdly be kind of OK in the eyes of other teams.
I still think we're better off just releasing his ass before that. We aren't getting shit from him this year, the only thing on the table is whether or not he's gettin ♫♫ PAAAAIIIIIIIIYYYED ♫♫
Craic
10-23-2018, 01:29 AM
Whats to separate, he’s greedy, not playing football and doubt he’ll play football for the Steelers again, at least at his previous level.
Simple. You're dismissing what he's done on the football field in the past because you're pissed at his business decisions now. Yes, he used to make a lot of first-tacklers miss. Yes, he used to run through first tacklers as well. Why denigrate how good he was in years past because you're upset with his current position concerning the team? In all honesty, I agree with you. He's being stupid and foolish and will probably never play for the Steelers again, all though I'm interested to see what happens when he hits the free-agent market and is surprised when the money isn't there for him (or, maybe it is). But I'm not going to negate how good he's been in the past. And, that includes last year when the O Line stunk it up for the first five to six games. Yet, he still got positive yards on almost every play. Very impressive, to be honest. I still don't want him, not after what happened this year, but I still can't forget how talented he's been in years past.
That's what I mean by separating.
Shoes
10-23-2018, 06:57 AM
Simple. You're dismissing what he's done on the football field in the past because you're pissed at his business decisions now. Yes, he used to make a lot of first-tacklers miss. Yes, he used to run through first tacklers as well. Why denigrate how good he was in years past because you're upset with his current position concerning the team? In all honesty, I agree with you. He's being stupid and foolish and will probably never play for the Steelers again, all though I'm interested to see what happens when he hits the free-agent market and is surprised when the money isn't there for him (or, maybe it is). But I'm not going to negate how good he's been in the past. And, that includes last year when the O Line stunk it up for the first five to six games. Yet, he still got positive yards on almost every play. Very impressive, to be honest. I still don't want him, not after what happened this year, but I still can't forget how talented he's been in years past.
That's what I mean by separating.
I'm not sure how you are thinking I'm dismissing & denigrating Bells play on the field over what Kinkhabwala said in a tweet. She and this mystery RB coach stressed in capital letters Bell was "NEVER" brought down by a 1st tackler. You called it hyperbole and I called it BS, because Bell has been tackled by a lot of single tacklers.
No question Bell was/is? a good football player. I'm not pissed at Bell for his business decisions. I pissed and done with Bell over his behavioral patterns with the TEAM when he was a good football player. Like getting arrested and suspended with Blount on the way to the TEAM plane. Then missing the drug tests and getting suspended again, another one for the TEAM. Then not showing up at training camp last year, another one for the TEAM and this year, still hasn't arrived another one for the TEAM.
I can't separate the player from the teammate. It doesn't matter how good a football player Bell was/ is?, he's placed himself above his teammates, above his Team, above the fan base and the entire Steeler organization. In short, he shot himself in the foot too many times.
AtlantaDan
10-23-2018, 08:27 AM
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Probably some hyperbole in the claim the first tackler never brings Bell down. There was more to the steep decline to 4.0 yards per carry for Bell in 2017 than the O-line and Bell both needing several weeks to round into shape. In addition to having some games that matched the productivity of prior seasons, the allegedly always elusive Mr. Bell had some clunkers after September 2017 and only exceeded 100 yards rushing against (surprisingly) the Pats after week 7 last season. A player still hitting peaks but not as consistently is part of the process for a player in decline.
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BellLe00/gamelog/2017/
IMO the second part of the assistant coach's statement about only a handful of O-lines being able to successfully block for Bell's running style is significant. Part of reason for the O-line blowing up at Bell when he did not report last month allegedly included simmering frustration with Bell simply freelancing and not bothering to study the blocking concepts for a play. Playing schoolyard ball as a player inevitably loses quickness is not a long term method for continuing success.
And people familiar with the situation also believe that the offensive linemen's frustrations toward Bell extend even further. He has a habit of not always adhering to the plays because he doesn’t spend extensive time studying the blocking concepts, according to those people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/mike-jones/2018/09/06/steelers-leveon-bell-contract-fantasy/1213455002/
In addition to this presumably restricting the number of teams that would be a good fit for Bell (he just wants paid but a rational team should care if they are laying out big $$$$ for a player who is a good fit), it probably indicates that if Bell shows up this year and gets into football shape at some point it will be no easy task for the O-line to switch back and forth between what it takes to block for Bell as opposed to blocking for a back such as Conner with a more traditional running style.
Bell is going to get paid, though probably not as much as he anticipates. I am glad it will not be the Steelers signing those post-2018 paychecks.
Moose
10-23-2018, 08:59 AM
He won't sign before the deadline....Oct.30. Going to be interesting how it ends up, sure is a shame thinking what the Steeler's team would've looked like if Bell was a team player and could've played with this team from the start along side of Conner.
86WARD
10-23-2018, 10:03 AM
Still not 100% convinced he shows this year...
AtlantaDan
10-23-2018, 10:08 AM
Still not 100% convinced he shows this year...
Could be. If so that will just be something else to hurt his market value after being away from the speed of the game for an entire season (one of the justifications for Bryant having a mediocre 2017 season after missing the 2016 season)
There is no master plan here, just Bell not backing down
steelreserve
10-23-2018, 11:37 AM
There is no master plan here, just Bell not backing down
I think his master plan is just to catch up on his huge anime backlog
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJfg39WkMvE
Jamarcus Bell has turned into another waste of talent. Prove me wrong.
DesertSteel
10-23-2018, 05:37 PM
He won't sign before the deadline....Oct.30. Going to be interesting how it ends up, sure is a shame thinking what the Steeler's team would've looked like if Bell was a team player and could've played with this team from the start along side of Conner.
If Bell was here from the start there would be no "along side of Conner." It would have been all Bell all the time. It's been a blessing in disguise.
polamalubeast
10-23-2018, 05:38 PM
If Bell was here from the start there would be no "along side of Conner." It would have been all Bell all the time. It's been a blessing in disguise.
This
Dwinsgames
10-23-2018, 08:20 PM
If Bell was here from the start there would be no "along side of Conner." It would have been all Bell all the time. It's been a blessing in disguise.
exactly now we do not have to spend a high pick at the RB spot in 2019 whereas we very well may have if Bell would have been here all along ..
that said I look for Bell to show at the deadline and I also look for the Steelers to counter by using the exemption his first two weeks back and Bell gets ZERO $$'s for those 2 weeks ...
by that point I can envision Bell kicking his ass up about it and making a stink and the team possibly suspending him for a few ( up to 4 games ) meaning Bell gets paid for just a couple games all season squandering about 12 million bucks in the process ..
gonna be damned hard to make that money up ....
now my vision of what is probably going to transpire all hinges on IF he passes an almost certain drug test 5 mins after he enters the building
as the kicker if Bell only gets paid for 2-3 weeks his tag number next year would be about 5 million bucks and after saving 12 million this year on him if I was in charge I would tag his ass again just to spite him and make him do this dance all over again and trade him if he signs it
pczach
10-24-2018, 12:22 AM
exactly now we do not have to spend a high pick at the RB spot in 2019 whereas we very well may have if Bell would have been here all along ..
that said I look for Bell to show at the deadline and I also look for the Steelers to counter by using the exemption his first two weeks back and Bell gets ZERO $$'s for those 2 weeks ...
by that point I can envision Bell kicking his ass up about it and making a stink and the team possibly suspending him for a few ( up to 4 games ) meaning Bell gets paid for just a couple games all season squandering about 12 million bucks in the process ..
gonna be damned hard to make that money up ....
now my vision of what is probably going to transpire all hinges on IF he passes an almost certain drug test 5 mins after he enters the building
as the kicker if Bell only gets paid for 2-3 weeks his tag number next year would be about 5 million bucks and after saving 12 million this year on him if I was in charge I would tag his ass again just to spite him and make him do this dance all over again and trade him if he signs it
If everything goes that way and his number would be that low, I agree that they should put a tag on him that they feel will get them the biggest return.
If he has half a brain, he will work with the team or he will be getting a regular job to support his rap habit and his stripper fetish when he's 35.
You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger
And you don't give away millions of dollars that you can't ever recover
:chuckle:
teegre
10-24-2018, 12:41 AM
You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger
And you don't give away millions of dollars that you can't ever recover
:chuckle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmT0_hKSUrw&app=desktop
polamalubeast
10-24-2018, 08:27 AM
The agent of Bell is the former agent of Maurice Jones Drew who holdout in 2012(I think)..
1055080215238586368
AtlantaDan
10-24-2018, 10:01 AM
The agent of Bell is the former agent of Maurice Jones Drew who holdout in 2012(I think)..
1055080215238586368
Thanks for the link
“Adisa relayed the message to us that as young black men, we need to know who we are, on and especially off the field."
That message obviously has resonated with Bell given his penchant for being suspended repeatedly for positive drug tests and showing up on Instagram with strippers
Bakari gives a copy of Forty Million Dollar Slaves (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/141584/forty-million-dollar-slaves-by-william-c-rhoden/9780307353146/) to every rookie who signs with his agency. A classic by Undefeated writer-at-large William C. Rhoden, the book argues that despite their high salaries, black athletes remain trapped on figurative plantations controlled by whites, with little influence or power in the multibillion-dollar industries built on black labor. The book urges athletes to retain “a sense of responsibility to the legacy of struggle that made possible this generation’s phenomenal material success.”...
I asked Bakari if it was a coincidence that a black agent and a young black player are the ones challenging the NFL’s concept of player value.
“There are no coincidences, at least as I see it,” Bakari replied.
https://theundefeated.com/features/steelers-leveon-bell-agent-adisa-bakari-knows-the-struggle/
Yep - that's what is motivating Bell in his contract negotiations. When someone tries to convince you it is not just about the money it more likely than not is just about the money.
On a more mundane matter than Bell's quest for more $$$ being part of the "legacy of struggle," having the same agent probably explains why Jones Drew was used as a mouthpiece for Bell in this linked interview
[Bell] talked about the Steelers and his holdout with former NFL running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who relayed the conversation Tuesday on “The Dave Dameshek Football Program” (https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-dave-dameshek-football-program/e/56214319?autoplay=true) podcast.
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2018/09/12/le-veon-bell-contract-steelers-james-conner-maurice-jones-drew-dave-dameshek-footballl/stories/201809120143
86WARD
10-24-2018, 10:29 AM
In order for the Steelers to use the exemption on him and he not get paid, Bell would have to agree to that...no?
AtlantaDan
10-24-2018, 10:39 AM
In order for the Steelers to use the exemption on him and he not get paid, Bell would have to agree to that...no?
Yep
The Steelers can place him on roster-exempt status for the first two regular season games, and his salary for those weeks will have to be separately negotiated (https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/08/26/when-will-leveon-bell-show-up/) before he signs the tender.
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/09/01/leveon-bell-will-soon-be-flirting-with-roster-exempt-status-and-possibly-reduced-pay/
polamalubeast
10-24-2018, 10:40 AM
Yep
The Steelers can place him on roster-exempt status for the first two regular season games, and his salary for those weeks will have to be separately negotiated (https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/08/26/when-will-leveon-bell-show-up/) before he signs the tender.
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/09/01/leveon-bell-will-soon-be-flirting-with-roster-exempt-status-and-possibly-reduced-pay/
In order for the Steelers to use the exemption on him and he not get paid, Bell would have to agree to that...no?
1054049680676421632
AtlantaDan
10-24-2018, 10:59 AM
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If Bell wants to get paid at all this year he needs to sign something by 4 pm on November 13. After that deadline passes he cannot play this year.
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/agents-take-answers-to-the-eight-leveon-bell-questions-that-everyones-been-asking/amp/
IMO Steelers (front office, coaches & players) are prepared to finish out the season without Bell. If Bell intends to carry out his “no bluffing” tactics by sticking to getting full pay for a 2 week roster exemption he is not going to get paid at all this season
pczach
10-24-2018, 11:01 AM
If Bell wants to get paid at all this year he needs to sign something by 4 pm on November 13. After that deadline passes he cannot play this year.
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/agents-take-answers-to-the-eight-leveon-bell-questions-that-everyones-been-asking/amp/
IMO Steelers (front office, coaches & players) are prepared to finish out the season without Bell. If Bell intends to carry out his “no bluffing” tactics by sticking to getting full pay for a 2 week roster exemption he is not going to get paid at all this season
I agree. I think the team is prepared to play hard ball.
Dwinsgames
10-24-2018, 12:22 PM
In order for the Steelers to use the exemption on him and he not get paid, Bell would have to agree to that...no?
Steelers have 100% of the leverage here ...
if bell wants to make any $$$ this year at all
st33lersguy
10-24-2018, 12:29 PM
Big Ben, James Conner, and the Offensive Line showed how expendable Bell is
Shoes
10-24-2018, 12:30 PM
Steelers have 100% of the leverage here ...
if bell wants to make any $$$ this year at all
It wouldn't surprise me if Bell was also counting on Conner to flop or get injured to try a force the Steelers hand.
polamalubeast
10-24-2018, 12:30 PM
Big Ben, James Conner, and the Offensive Line showed how expendable Bell is
same for DeAngelo Williams in 2015.
Dwinsgames
10-24-2018, 12:34 PM
It wouldn't surprise me if Bell was also counting on Conner to flop or get injured to try a force the Steelers hand.
with dumbBELL nothing would surprise me
86WARD
10-24-2018, 01:03 PM
Steelers have 100% of the leverage here ...
if bell wants to make any $$$ this year at all
But they can’t just throw him on an exemption unpaid without him agreeing.
AtlantaDan
10-24-2018, 01:12 PM
But they can’t just throw him on an exemption unpaid without him agreeing.
True - but they could say would you prefer not to get paid for 2 weeks or not get paid for 2018 since we both have to agree to the terms of roster exemption payments before you can sign the franchise tender
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM047Tu2Qc0
Craic
10-24-2018, 01:55 PM
Steelers have 100% of the leverage here ...
if bell wants to make any $$$ this year at all
How do you figure that? Bell has already been tagged. He can sign today and the Steelers are on the hook for the money from this point on. The only thing the Steelers can do about it is remove the tag. Moreover, the only place the Steelers would have leverage is if Bell is saying, "I really don't want to play when I get back," and the Steelers are saying, "Either you're going to play, or you're going to agree to an exemption." What am I missing?
Dwinsgames
10-24-2018, 02:08 PM
How do you figure that? Bell has already been tagged. He can sign today and the Steelers are on the hook for the money from this point on. The only thing the Steelers can do about it is remove the tag. Moreover, the only place the Steelers would have leverage is if Bell is saying, "I really don't want to play when I get back," and the Steelers are saying, "Either you're going to play, or you're going to agree to an exemption." What am I missing?
what you are missing is this ....
When / IF Bell returns if the team wants to use the exemption they can but Bell has to agree to the terms before signing , if he does not agree to those terms the team is under no obligation to bargain with him about it .. Team can say 2 wk exemption because you are out of shape or not in football shape and we are not going to pay you and we are not going to negotiate it ..... Bell can then sign or walk away ... if he walks away the deadline is closing in on signing if he does not sign by that time he can not play ANYWHERE in 2018 including Pittsburgh ( whole year of lost income ) he is also exposed to being tagged again and it becomes cheaper each passing week for it to potentially happen in 2019 ... Team isnt locked into anything they can rescind at any time or they can simply let it play out and if he comes in soon enough they can try to trade him ( do not need his permission )
I fail to see the downside of the teams position in all of this with Conner playing well the ONLY one losing out is Bell
AtlantaDan
10-24-2018, 02:29 PM
what you are missing is this ....
When / IF Bell returns if the team wants to use the exemption they can but Bell has to agree to the terms before signing , if he does not agree to those terms the team is under no obligation to bargain with him about it .. Team can say 2 wk exemption because you are out of shape or not in football shape and we are not going to pay you and we are not going to negotiate it ..... Bell can then sign or walk away ... if he walks away the deadline is closing in on signing if he does not sign by that time he can not play ANYWHERE in 2018 including Pittsburgh ( whole year of lost income ) he is also exposed to being tagged again and it becomes cheaper each passing week for it to potentially happen in 2019 ... Team isnt locked into anything they can rescind at any time or they can simply let it play out and if he comes in soon enough they can try to trade him ( do not need his permission )
I fail to see the downside of the teams position in all of this with Conner playing well the ONLY one losing out is Bell
Yep - Steelers not inclined for Bell to get paid while he practices (but cannot play) to get in better football shape under a two week max roster exemption after being paid while rounding himself into shape at the start of last season
Under Article 20, section 4 of the CBA Bell cannot sign the franchise tender and get the Steelers on the hook for his money until there is an agreement on what, if anything, he gets paid during the roster exemption period.
After the final roster reduction a Club must agree in writing with an unsigned player who is either an Unrestricted Free Agent, Transition Player, or Franchise Player, prior to signing a Player Contract with such player, on what compensation, if any, the player will be paid if he is placed in a roster exempt status.
https://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com...-2011-2020.pdf (https://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/collective-bargaining-agreement-2011-2020.pdf)
steelreserve
10-24-2018, 02:59 PM
Yeah as I understand it, once the league grants the roster exemption, it's there and that's that - there's no signing the franchise tender unilaterally and getting around it to put the team on the hook for the full salary.
I guess the thinking is that most of the time, the team wants the star player back ASAP and that player is going to be a badass, so naturally most of the time they won't have much reason to argue about it. But in the case of a franchise player dogging it and being in no condition to play it provides some protection against the sign-and-you're-stuck tactic. Which I think it's safe to say this it's the first time has happened.
polamalubeast
10-24-2018, 09:26 PM
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43Hitman
10-24-2018, 09:35 PM
1055281708877168645
This article is behind a paywall, is there any way you can post the whole thing?
AtlantaDan
10-24-2018, 09:40 PM
1055281708877168645
LOL - I was planning to come back this week and get 10 game checks, but if you are going to impose the roster exemption for 2 weeks and only pay me for 8 game checks I may sit out the season and not get paid anything - that will show you who calls the shots
DesertSteel
10-24-2018, 09:55 PM
200 yards for Conner Sunday.
AtlantaDan
10-24-2018, 10:13 PM
Ultimate teammate JuJu trying to do his part to get Bell back :chuckle:
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