Quote Originally Posted by Cyphon25 View Post
I know I will get flak for this but Isaac Redman could do all of those things as well, just not at Bells level (or at least the Steelers didn't trust him to try it). He was a great pass blocker, good hands out of the backfield, good after the catch, and when he had 15 or more carries he had a few 100 yard games.
in b4 suddenness and glide


Quote Originally Posted by Cyphon25 View Post
The part that drives me nuts is when Bell and his agent act like he has invented a new position. The majority of his catches are at or behind the LOS like every other RB in the history of the league. Being asked to block is nothing new either. He is a great at what he does but it makes him a great RB, not a magical unicorn who shoots rainbows out of his butt.
You're right, he doesn't do anything that's really "different" there. It's not like he's going out on 20-yard routes and making plays that a receiver would make.

What he DOES do is turn short dump-offs into 10-yard gains better than any other running back in the league right now, and right up there with any running back ever. He does pick you up a buttload of first downs and keeps drives going, which is extremely valuable. But as you said, it's not like he's breaking new ground by doing that. He's just playing the running back position at a very high level.

If I could keep him on the team, I would, but it wasn't really up to us. Even if we offered him the $17 million he was asking for, I don't think it would've mattered; I don't think he was going to re-sign for any price.