ESPN predicts JuJu Smith-Schuster will follow the contract path of Le’Veon Bell

[polamalubeast]

The Pittsburgh Steelers might have a contract situation on their hands in a few seasons.

The thought of JuJu Smith-Schuster being bood and ridiculed on social media is tough to fathom at this point in the young wide receiver’s career. Everyone has loved Smith-Schuster since the day he donned the black-and-gold for the first time.

But will they be singing the same tune in two years when his rookie contract is up and he wants to get paid?

This is where the fact Smith-Schuster was a second round draft pick comes into play. Unlike a first round pick, the Steelers have no 5th year option on Smith-Schuster. The same was true for Bell coming out of Michigan State. When these young players out-perform every aspect of their contract, they want to be paid their worth. Only problem there is sometimes the team isn’t willing to give them that type of compensation.

The NFL and NFLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) gives the team the ability to place the franchise tag on players, and Steelers fans know all too well what this is like after the fiasco that was Le’Veon Bell’s contract negotiations before leaving via free agency.

ESPN writer Dan Graziano recently decided to see which players he thinks could be on the Le’Veon Bell path, and possibly walk in his footsteps a la sitting out an entire season, and Smith-Schuster was a focal point of his article.

See what he had to say:

read more

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2019/5/30/18646114/espn-predicts-juju-smith-schuster-will-follow-the-contract-path-of-leveon-bell-steelers-nfl-news

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I would be surprised if JuJu will ask $ 5 million more that the highest paid players at his position as it was the case for Bell .... Even for Le'Veon it was not enough for him!

If the steelers are offering at least $ 15 million per year to JuJu, I think they're going to be at least close of an agreement, even if JuJu has another big season.

[Fire Goodell]

Juju WILL want to get paid, and will try to get as much as he can get. That, I have no doubt in my mind.

BUT with that said, he's going about it the right way. Creating a positive image, helping kids and people on the street. He's behaving in a way that makes the Steelers want to pay him. And he will get paid no doubt.

[Rotorhead]

If he is a top 5/10 WR when his contract is up, the Steelers will pay him accordingly. Bell got LESS from the Jets than the Steelers offered (just more guaranteed $$). The stupid thing about Bell is everyone knows the Steelers honor their contracts better than any other team.

[86WARD]

Juju WILL want to get paid, and will try to get as much as he can get. That, I have no doubt in my mind.

BUT with that said, he's going about it the right way. Creating a positive image, helping kids and people on the street. He's behaving in a way that makes the Steelers want to pay him. And he will get paid no doubt.

Not that there’s a comparison between the two but the same positive feeling we’re coming out of the mouth of fans and the mouth of Antonio Brown...

[AtlantaDan]

Seems like the writer was told to write a story to fill up space in the dead period until trainig camp and came up with JuJu as one of a half dozen players outperforming their rookie deals (duh - that is how the CBA is designed to work - underpay on the rookie deal since teams often overpay when vets get their first post-rookie contract)

As far as predicting JuJu will be the next LeVeon, the headline SB Nation gave to the article linked above misrepresents what the ESPN writer says

From the ESPN article

Predicting the next NFL players who could force contract standoffs

Now, every circumstance is different, and many players likely wouldn't want to subject themselves to the public heat Bell absorbed. We don't know this far out whether Smith-Schuster is the kind of guy who would make a major issue out of his rookie contract in its final years or chafe against a franchise tag as Bell did. Just Wednesday, Smith-Schuster made a point of announcing he didn't plan to make trouble (http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26801839/juju-chemistry-steelers-wr-room-point). As one person I interviewed while researching this story pointed out, being a lifelong Steeler carries post-career financial benefits that Bell won't get to enjoy the way guys like Franco Harris do.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26803439/predicting-next-nfl-players-force-contract-standoffs#juju

In other words, the ESPN writer does not claim to know how JuJu will respond if the Steelers do not work out his new deal after this season as he goes into the last year of his 4 year rookie contract in 2020

Steelers should be able to/want to get a deal done with JuJu prior to the 2020 season since the AB contract comes off the books after 2019 and the Steelers will need to do Watt's deal a year after JuJu going into the last season of Watt's contract that runs through 2021

[tube517]

Dan Graziano? Never heard of him

[st33lersguy]

Someone got real bored

[pczach]

https://media.giphy.com/media/3gUfbruetCj8Zmundc/giphy.gif

[teegre]

This is a thread worthy of beaver pics...

[hawaiiansteeler]

This is a thread worthy of beaver pics...

https://www.memesmonkey.com/images/memesmonkey/26/26a225e99fc5fc1716c493b0360ad40e.jpeg

[Born2Steel]

Well, he did lose his BIKE.

[BlackAndGold]

Assuming he has a great year I expect he'll be offered a contract to be the highest paid WR in the NFL next year.

With Bell it seems he couldn't care less about football. Missing one game sucks for most athletes, he missed an entire season and can't be found during OTA's. Lets be thankful he didn't sign his deal.

[HollywoodSteel]

Also Bell wanted to be paid WR money and was trying to change the entire dynamic of payment for his position.

Ju-ju will be offered WR money. And if he’s franchised it will be as a WR.

Totally different situation. It’s silly to compare the two.

[teegre]

I predict JuJu will play for $14.333 million per season.

My source: don’t need one.

Welcome to modern journalism.

[cold-hard-steel]

This is a thread worthy of beaver pics...

Beaver Cleaver pics?

[teegre]

Beaver Cleaver pics?

Any and all beavers...

[pczach]

I predict JuJu will play for $14.333 million per season.

My source: don’t need one.

Welcome to modern journalism.



That is exactly right.

[Galax Steeler]

This is a thread worthy of beaver pics...

Lol I remember those days

[Six Rings]

If Ju-Ju is a top 5 NFL WR, he'll get paid like one. Simple. I don't think he'll bring the drama and off the field distraction stuff like Brown did.

[steelreserve]

"Here's a contract that makes you the highest-paid (WR/RB, pick one) in the league."

"Yeah, well you know what, FUCK YOU anyway."

(does NFL equivalent of punching self in the nuts)

"Yeah! Take THAT, racist slave lords!" (punches self in the nuts again) "Yeah, that's right, I showed you!" (punches self in nuts again) "Fuck you!"


... that is roughly the contract situation of Bell and AB. Nothing to do with money, and everything to do with being a low-intelligence attention seeking jerk who's full of himself and thinks the grass is always greener somewhere else.

Evidence that Juju will be that way? Zero.

Evidence that he won't be that way? Also zero.

[BlackAndGold]

Lol I remember those days

Didn't think so many beaver pictures could exist.

[hawaiiansteeler]

Lol I remember those days

and I remember you Galax my friend! :drink:

so how has life been treating you?

[polamalubeast]

I do not think the gamble has been a success for Bell, so I do not think any other player will do what Bell did, unless another idiot like him wants to reset the market at their position.

If the steelers are not cheap in the contract negotiations on JuJu (what the steelers have never been for a long time) I expect a new contract for JuJu without drama for the next off season.

[pczach]

I do not think the gamble has been a success for Bell, so I do not think any other player will do what Bell did, unless another idiot like him wants to reset the market at their position.

If the steelers are not cheap in the contract negotiations on JuJu (what the steelers have never been for a long time) I expect a new contract for JuJu without drama for the next off season.



Clearly Bell lost.

He lost a full year's salary sitting out.

He signed for less money than he would have made if he signed with the Steelers when they offered him a contract.

He didn't reset the RB salary market with his new deal as he clearly stated was a goal.

He became a year older, and lost a full year of earning power that he can never get back.

He is playing for a much worse franchise.

He was a football god who's effort could never be questioned, but will now be questioned about the way he handles himself from here out IMO.

His holdout was a HUGE loss for him and every stated goal he had regarding his contract and what he wanted to accomplish.

[polamalubeast]

Clearly Bell lost.

He lost a full year's salary sitting out.

He signed for less money than he would have made if he signed with the Steelers when they offered him a contract.

He didn't reset the RB salary market with his new deal as he clearly stated was a goal.

He became a year older, and lost a full year of earning power that he can never get back.

He is playing for a much worse franchise.

He was a football god who's effort could never be questioned, but will now be questioned about the way he handles himself from here out IMO.

His holdout was a HUGE loss for him and every stated goal he had regarding his contract and what he wanted to accomplish.

It was the most ridiculous holdout in NFL history.

[steelreserve]

It was the most ridiculous holdout in NFL history.

He got to smoke hella weed tho

[pczach]

It was the most ridiculous holdout in NFL history.


It's hard to argue with that.

[polamalubeast]

Just to look at this article in march...

Breaking down Le’Veon Bell’s new Jets contract: Was the holdout worth it?

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/breaking-down-leveon-bell-new-jets-contract-was-the-holdout-worth-it/n6h5h1p8tzno16wlr0lfnwxn8


This will not be a example to follow for the other players in the NFL.

[hawaiiansteeler]

JuJu Smith-Schuster attends local prom as replacement for cancelled date

And then a day later was at Kennywood Park serving up Heinz Ketchup

By Simon Chester Jun 2, 2019

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2019/6/2/18649445/steelers-wr-juju-smith-schuster-attends-local-prom-as-replacement-for-cancelled-date-nfl-news

[86WARD]

JuJu Smith-Schuster attends local prom as replacement for cancelled date

And then a day later was at Kennywood Park serving up Heinz Ketchup

By Simon Chester Jun 2, 2019

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2019/6/2/18649445/steelers-wr-juju-smith-schuster-attends-local-prom-as-replacement-for-cancelled-date-nfl-news

Lol. That’s kinda a dick move if Hunts has a sponsorship with Kennywood.

[Craic]

Sigh,
Everyone still ragging on Bell and saying how he lost. Funny. Bell got what he wanted from the Steelers. They blinked and he didn't. They released him rather than tagging him again. Everyone keeps saying "he gave up 15 mill!" Um, and? Think of this as stock. He wanted the lower risk, lower reward but more guaranteed to pay out mutual fund than the higher risk, higher reward fund. Why? Twice he's been out with knee injury. How many RBs come back from even one knee injury to the same type of player he was before he had it? Few. He came back from it twice. It only takes once and his career is done. While I think the way he went about the last two years was immature and full of idiocy, I can't fault him for his decision to get a guaranteed return with his injury history.

And, truth be told, I can't fault him for not wanting to play a season in the AFCN seeing as it was North teams that injured him almost every time. (Knocked out his rookie year, knee injuries his sophomore and third year . . .)

[polamalubeast]

In fact, I'm glad that Bell turned down the steelers offer in July 2018 .... And it would have been very stupid to put the transition tag on a player that the steelers do not need now .... Not for 14 million.

I do not know if Bell won something financially, but it was not much if it is the case ... This is possible that he lost a lot of money by refusing the offer of steelers in 2018.

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Year Steelers' offer Franchise tag Current deal
2018 $19.5 million $14.544 million $0
2019 $13.5 million $14.5 million $14.5 million
2020 $12 million $11.5 million $11.5 million
Total $45 million $40.544 million

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/breaking-down-leveon-bell-new-jets-contract-was-the-holdout-worth-it/n6h5h1p8tzno16wlr0lfnwxn8

[AtlantaDan]

Sigh,
Everyone still ragging on Bell and saying how he lost. Funny. Bell got what he wanted from the Steelers. They blinked and he didn't. They released him rather than tagging him again. Everyone keeps saying "he gave up 15 mill!" Um, and? Think of this as stock. He wanted the lower risk, lower reward but more guaranteed to pay out mutual fund than the higher risk, higher reward fund. Why? Twice he's been out with knee injury. How many RBs come back from even one knee injury to the same type of player he was before he had it? Few. He came back from it twice. It only takes once and his career is done. While I think the way he went about the last two years was immature and full of idiocy, I can't fault him for his decision to get a guaranteed return with his injury history.

And, truth be told, I can't fault him for not wanting to play a season in the AFCN seeing as it was North teams that injured him almost every time. (Knocked out his rookie year, knee injuries his sophomore and third year . . .)

Everyone can spin an outcome however they want (e.g. - Emperor Hirohito describing the surrender of Japan as "the war situation has developed not necessarily to Japan's advantage") - Bell and his agent are no different

Bell kept it real and lost a year's salary as the price while misjudging what the market was going to be for his services

If he knew then what he was going to get on the open market as opposed to what the Steelers offered and that it would cost him $14.2 million in lost salary to get there I bet in hindsight he would take the Steelers offer - I do not see how he makes up the lost year's salary as the cost of rejecting the Steelers offer but maybe I am missing something - to use your analogy, he got into a lower risk index fund of a contract but had to take a $14.2 million dollar loss to buy into that

But good for Bell if standing up to The Power means that much to him

[DesertSteel]

Sigh,
Everyone still ragging on Bell and saying how he lost. Funny. Bell got what he wanted from the Steelers. They blinked and he didn't. They released him rather than tagging him again.
I fail to see how that was the Steelers blinking. It was a good business decision and best for the team. Clearly, in my mind, Bell is the one who lost in the stare down.

[hawaiiansteeler]

I fail to see how that was the Steelers blinking. It was a good business decision and best for the team. Clearly, in my mind, Bell is the one who lost in the stare down.

:iagree:

[steelreserve]

It wasn't "the Steelers blinking," it was a game of chicken where both sides rode it all the way to the crash.

The Steelers lost the player with nothing in return. Bell employed a shitheaded tactic and ended up getting himself less total money AND less guaranteed.

Yes, I guess you can haggle over the definition of "guaranteed" up front versus guaranteed at the start of Year 2 when there is literally 0% chance you will have been cut.

But really the only distinction there is for people who want to be stubborn about claiming they were right on a technicality, when every bit of evidence about every real-world scenario shows that they are clearly wrong and he got less any way you cut it. Bell is one of those people. Don't be like Bell.

[Craic]

In fact, I'm glad that Bell turned down the steelers offer in July 2018 .... And it would have been very stupid to put the transition tag on a player that the steelers do not need now .... Not for 14 million.

I do not know if Bell won something financially, but it was not much if it is the case ... This is possible that he lost a lot of money by refusing the offer of steelers in 2018.

- - - Updated - - -

Year Steelers' offer Franchise tag Current deal
2018 $19.5 million $14.544 million $0
2019 $13.5 million $14.5 million $14.5 million
2020 $12 million $11.5 million $11.5 million
Total $45 million $40.544 million

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/breaking-down-leveon-bell-new-jets-contract-was-the-holdout-worth-it/n6h5h1p8tzno16wlr0lfnwxn8

Personally, I'm happy for it as well. Part of me wanted to see us tag him again just for spite. But, clearing out the locker room became something more important. However, all I'm saying is that your numbers for 19 and 20 are not absolutes. I think Bell wasn't concerned about top dollar per se, but about top guaranteed dollar. All that crap about playing two positions was about raising the total dollar amount because that also raises the limit on guaranteed moneys.

As I said a long time ago in one of these threads, this was nothing more than Bell betting against himself that his body would hold out. I asked the question then, if Bell is willing to bet that much against himself, then what does he know about his body (or his knee) that the team didn't know? To me, that was the big red warning sign.