So Bell isn't getting his 14.5 million,

[Drink IRON City]

99% sure a guy who signs a franchise tag can't be traded without his permission.

And even if he can as long as he waits until after the July deadline, he can't sign a new deal with his new team.

SO, basically he is holding the STEELERS ransom.........................

If he thought so highly of his value then by all meaNS WOULDN'T HE WANT TRADED TO ACHIEVE THAT VALUE???????



"POW" to the moon alice.



Salute the nation

 

[antdrewjosh]

LMAO, Bell can run routes like any WR besides AB? Do you even watch the games? Bell is a very good route runner for a RB, but he isn't comparable to teams #1 WR in terms of route running.
Bell isn't lined up vs CB very often, it's usually a coverage LB like in the playoff game, that's why the term mis-match is used so much when he splits out.

Yeah it is a ******* dumb comparison when to compare wr per touch yards and TDs to a RB's, but Bell keeps comparing himself to wr's. That is exactly why WRs are paid more, they make more plays per touch, is that really that hard to comprehend?

I mean if Bell regularly beats CBs like you say and is a better route runner than everyone besides AB like you say, then why doesn't he just become a WR?

Also, just because most here do not want to give him 17 million, that doesn't mean we think he sucks or shouldnt be the highest paid RB.

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More then one coach have indicated that if he wanted to make the switch to WR he could and at high level

 

[Coach]

SO, basically he is holding the STEELERS ransom.........................

If he thought so highly of his value then by all meaNS WOULDN'T HE WANT TRADED TO ACHIEVE THAT VALUE???????



"POW" to the moon alice.



Salute the nation

Le'Veon Bell recently said the Steelers treat him as a villain. If Bell believes that call up your agent, sign the tag amount and ask to be traded.

I read Sean Davis changed his number. I hope Bell is next.

 

[antdrewjosh]

Le'Veon Bell recently said the Steelers treat him as a villain. If Bell believes that call up your agent, sign the tag amount and ask to be traded.

I read Sean Davis changed his number. I hope Bell is next.

No he didnt he said the city. And reading this board would he not be right

 

[stillwright]

The biggest problem I see here is in not letting Bell explore other options. They should have tagged him non-exclusive and let him test the waters. He could sign with another team and we would get 2 first rounders. If he didn't, we could match any contract offered. At least then he would know his worth.

Agreed, but if your intent was to extend him the team went the right direction by giving him the exclusive tag. Just didn't work out. And I don't know how it ever would. Seems every week his demands increase.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Agreed That was a bad move on the team's part. I'd take those two 1st's and run at this point because even when he signs the tag and reports (after the pre season is over again) he'll be disgruntled the entire season and give us more locker room theatrics just like this team was loaded with last year.

I doubt very much that anyone would give up two first-rounders for Bell, regardless of his price.

Based on his actions and words to this point, trusting him to give his all this year is dwindling. If he keeps spouting his mouth, they damn well may pull the tag if they get a RB they like in Rd. 1 or 2.

I predict a redux of Mike Wallace's last season here where he goes through the motions and plays not to get hurt. Paying him the tag amount will be a waste of money on several levels.

 

[Hines57]

Its pretty clear that Bell will not be back after the 2018 season. It would take agreeing to terms of a long term deal and a sign and trade if we wanted to get something for him. That means ANOTHER team would have to be willing to pay Bell what his asking price is. I would not be quick to assume there are other teams willing to pay him $17M per season just because of his skills as a receiving back.

If the Steelers offered $14M per year and the next closest back behind you is $8M, then you damn sure better realize that the team values you and your skill set. They aren't going to offer that kind of money to a player they don't value.

We won a Super Bowl with Willie Parker as our lead back and an aging Jerome Bettis as his back up. Parker nor Bettis were the same level of receiver that Bell is. We were on the cusp of winning another Super Bowl with Spin-Then-Fall as our RB who again does not have the same skill set as Bell.

It opens the door wide open for us to reassess the RB position leading into the 2019 season. Le'Veon isn't going to stay away from $14M this year. He will do the same song and dance of not showing up during training camp and he will sign his contract on Week 1 and come out and get paid. If I'm Mike Tomlin I run the wheels off of him knowing he's not going to be a Steeler in 2019.

There's no malice towards Bell for wanting to get paid what he wants. You can't sit here and put yourself in the same situation as a fan that these players are in. We had the same bullshit on the board when Pouncey got his big contract and it was lunacy around here for a good year or two until his injury issues were behind him.

We will play with Bell this year and next year they will draft an RB in the 2nd or 3rd round with the idea that Conner will be the starter by then. The biggest thing I see is that the Steelers have publicly said they aren't letting Bell go without getting compensation. That means either a compensatory draft pick in 2020 after he goes UFA next year or a trade. The trade requires a signed long term contract and a trading partner.

We have several areas of need that will hurt us this offseason, MLB and S and quite possibly QB. If Shazier had not been injured it may have been a lot easier to have to let Bell walk and address RB in this draft.

 

[antdrewjosh]

I doubt very much that anyone would give up two first-rounders for Bell, regardless of his price.



I predict a redux of Mike Wallace's last season here where he goes through the motions and plays not to get hurt. Paying him the tag amount will be a waste of money on several levels.

Why would you predict that? He didnt do that last year. But he is wrong that he is painted as a villian.

 

[Coryea]

No he didnt he said the city. And reading this board would he not be right

Who here said he's a villain? Pretty much everyone here says he deserves to be the highest paid RB in the league.

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[Coryea]

Agreed, but if your intent was to extend him the team went the right direction by giving him the exclusive tag. Just didn't work out. And I don't know how it ever would. Seems every week his demands increase.

That, and while I agree his demands are way too high, we might as well tag him and have him play this season for pretty much what we offered to pay him per season last year.

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[antdrewjosh]

Who here said he's a villain? Pretty much everyone here says he deserves to be the highest paid RB in the league.

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Seriously calling him greedy and selfish only thinking of himself isnt painting him in a bad light. Its business. What anybody thinks he should take doesnt matter. Only thing that matters is what he does on the field. Now if he pulled a Wallace and played to not get hurt i could see all the anger towards him. This guy other then smoking has been great. Its to the point now people are even questioning how good he is as its even debatable. If he doesnt sign a long term deal we will get compensation and move on. Its business

 

[Coryea]

Seriously calling him greedy and selfish only thinking of himself isnt painting him in a bad light. Its business. What anybody thinks he should take doesnt matter. Only thing that matters is what he does on the field. Now if he pulled a Wallace and played to not get hurt i could see all the anger towards him. This guy other then smoking has been great. Its to the point now people are even questioning how good he is as its even debatable. If he doesnt sign a long term deal we will get compensation and move on. Its business

Not a villain though. Yes it is a business and in this business there's a market for each position, he was offered 6 million per season above what the next guy at his position makes and he turned it down. He put himself in that light.

The same would happen to AB if he asked for 32 per or to Ben if he asked for 50 per, or any player that asks for double what the next highest guy at his position makes.

No one is making him out to suck, we are just showing his stats aren't blowing everyone else away to where he would deserve that kind of money.

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[antdrewjosh]

Not a villain though. Yes it is a business and in this business there's a market for each position, he was offered 6 million per season above what the next guy at his position makes and he turned it down. He put himself in that light.

The same would happen to AB if he asked for 32 per or to Ben if he asked for 50 per, or any player that asks for double what the next highest guy at his position makes.

No one is making him out to suck, we are just showing his stats aren't blowing everyone else away to where he would deserve that kind of money.

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The only backs who come close are the ones on Rookie deals. No back who has gotten a new deal are every down backs so you really cant compare. If gurley had signed a new deal getting 8 million i could see your point

 

[Stryker]

Get something straight here. Bell is an excellent receiver, for a running back. He runs great routes, splits out to the slot and runs patterns. To state that he can be an NFL receiver is short sighted. Bell would not be able to run sidelines and deep routes in the NFL. He'd be relegated to slot receiver duties only. I think he could be very good at it, and maybe late in his career, he should make the switch to extend his playing career, but slot receivers are not valued in the NFL. No slot receiver gets big money. They can rack up receptions, but they are rarely paid. Much like RBs can get 70+ catches, they are safety valves first, not #1 receivers.

 

[bermudasteel]

Because we're fans. We're not really logical about this stuff. It would be great to have all the best players playing for the vet minimum just to play for the Steelers but it's not going to happen.

People are just hopeful that he would sign a $10M/yr deal. Not when his agent is telling him that someone will pay him nearly double that in free agency.

I'd love to keep him but we can't afford to.

And there you have it. Love Bell - but this price tag is "too much cheese on the bread"...

 

[SteelerFan448]

More then one coach have indicated that if he wanted to make the switch to WR he could and at high level

Which coaches said this?

 

[stillwright]

Which coaches said this?

Well Bell's stepfather stated the Steelers mentioned about him becoming a WR later in his career during negotiations at some point,

 

[antdrewjosh]

Which coaches said this?

Give me a sec 448 trying to find the articles.. here is one of L. Tomlinson saying the same. Also there is another of Brown saying the same. Im trying to find the one of Todd haley saying the same. Haley cut his teeth as a WR coach. And i also believe Richard Mann said it. I will keep looking.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.th...g-back-style-pittsburgh-steelers-b7ecf738b64f

https://www.google.com/amp/thesport...up-about-potential-position-switch-to-wr/amp/

 

[jitter77]

Bell is way too slow to be an effective WR. One of the reasons he can't break the long runs

 

[Supersteeler]

Why would you predict that? He didnt do that last year. But he is wrong that he is painted as a villian.

He cares about money and his brand. When he gets a long term contract he'll start mailing it in immediately.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Why would you predict that? He didnt do that last year. But he is wrong that he is painted as a villian.

Because last year wasn't his free agent year.
He paints himself as a villain. The only reason he's getting paid what he's getting paid is because of Adrian Peterson. If this year was his first year tagged he'd be making about half. $14.5 mill isn't enough in his mind when it's still almost double what the second-highest paid RB gets. I'm all for players getting as much money as they can but he has no concept of the going rate for RB's. The Steelers will be stupid and pay him what they have to instead of using the money on defense, lose to the Pats***** again in the playoffs, and Bell will retire all pissed off because no one else will want to pay him more than $8.5 mill.

 

[Coryea]

Because last year wasn't his free agent year.
He paints himself as a villain. The only reason he's getting paid what he's getting paid is because of Adrian Peterson. If this year was his first year tagged he'd be making about half. $14.5 mill isn't enough in his mind when it's still almost double what the second-highest paid RB gets. I'm all for players getting as much money as they can but he has no concept of the going rate for RB's.

But he's not a rb, he's the best RB and WR in the NFL

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[BAS]

Even still... It seems like the Steelers offered him a fair enough contract last season, that would have made him the highest paid RB by a large margin, and he balked. He gets the franchise tag and sulks.

Then this year, the franchise tag is Higher than last year, and Bell has gone through one more season of wear and tear -- and he wants even more on a shorter NFL-lifespan. How does demanding even more than he wanted last year make any sense whatsoever?

 

[Skott]

Has Bell ever broke off a 50+ yard run for a TD in the NFL?

I’ve seen several rookie RBs do it.

 

[GMC]

Has Bell ever broke off a 50+ yard run for a TD in the NFL?

I’ve seen several rookie RBs do it.

Not for a TD. Only 1 run over 50 (81) in his career. I believe his longest TD run is 38 yards.