Le'Veon Bell reportedly plans to report to Steelers during Week 7 bye

[hawaiiansteeler]

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/l...-play-in-2018/

[86WARD]

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]

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]

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]

He just wants to screw the steelers. We should tag him again out of spite.

[Craic]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

[j-d-s]

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]

"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/2...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

[BlackAndGold]

I'll say it, Bell is more than likely going nowhere.

[AtlantaDan]

I'll say it, Bell is more than likely going nowhere.

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/artic...1_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]

"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!

[steelerdude15]

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]

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]

trade him !

use whatever you get to address defense in next years draft ....

CB
OLB
CB
OLB
FS

[AtlantaDan]

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-...tes-trade-talk

[DesertSteel]

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-...tes-trade-talk

We all know that your stupidity act is not a bluff.

[vasteeler]

At this point...Fuck Bell!

[pczach]

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]

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

[ALLD]

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]

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]

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]

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 and Todd Gurley, 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]

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.