Hey Coach how about you go read DK's article that was posted by Steelers81
Bell suspended
- Thread starter Steelerfan81
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Hey Coach how about you go read DK's article that was posted by Steelers81
Saw this. Quite a double down considering the NFL has said he missed several tests. The only thing I figured was he might be considering a legal challenge which like Brady could drag out allowing him to play this season.
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**** it, I mean it worked for Brady for Atleast a season.
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Ya, See, it doesn't exactly work like that Mr. Bell. You're in what the NFL calls the random testing program. That means they sort of call you randomly. If they scheduled the tests a few weeks out that would more or less undermine the "random" nature of the random testing program. I hope this has been helpful.
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Except De'Angelo Williams who got us 907 yards last year in reserve duty. He put up that many yards despite the fact that Bell played about 6 games and Wiliams was even injured late in the season himself. So, it is safe to assume that Williams can do just fine at the start of the season. While he's not the receiving threat that Bell is, he's a fine runner. We have just about the best backup situation in the league. Williams could start for many teams in the league and we're lucky to have him.
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Meh, he was probably stoned when he said it.
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Is pot more harmful than alcohol? Probably not. But people need to start recognizing that it IS just as addicting for people with addictive traits. Folks like Ricky Williams, Martavis Bryant, and it would seem Leveon Bell are showing us that addition to the M.J. is a very real and completely overpowering thing.
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...says the statistics and the fact that he was signed again by the Pats****. Belichick doesn't sign people unless they are going to do things his way. Read into it what you want, but to me that says Blount kept his mouth shut and just played ball.
Steelers find hidden win in Le'Veon Bell suspension
play
Bell's suspension could have financial impact (1:00)
7:47 AM ET
Jeremy Fowler
ESPN Staff Writer
The loss of Le’Veon Bell on the field is immense. But the Pittsburgh Steelers' front office might gain something else with his looming four-game suspension.
Cap space and dollars.
The mechanics of a Bell contract extension have shifted more than one of the tailback's deadly open-field cuts. The unsympathetic reality of the NFL is that healthy knees and trustworthiness equal money. Lately, Bell has been 0-for-2 in that area.
Now, the Steelers can enjoy Bell's production for at least 12 games without the pressure of dishing out an enormous long-term deal for the 2017 free agent. Bell's lost leverage lends flexibility to a team that has been strapped by the salary cap in recent years.
Basically, the Steelers can play this however they want. If the Steelers don't like what they see from Bell, they can justify a clean break.
Extending Bell was already a complicated proposition before last week's news that he's facing a suspension for missed drug tests, his second drug-related issue since 2014. The Steelers needed to see Bell healthy after he tore medial collateral and posterior cruciate ligaments in his right knee in Week 8 last season.
Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell will be a free agent in 2017. Tom Walko/Icon Sportswire
As long as Bell returned smoothly, he was ready to capitalize on an all-around game that produced 119 yards from scrimmage per game since 2013, tops in the NFL among running backs.
On ability alone, Bell would have no problem finding a contractual sweet spot between Adrian Peterson ($14 million per year) and LeSean McCoy ($8 million). Teams simply aren't giving tailbacks Peterson-like money anymore. His original deal is from 2011. If things fell right, Bell was set to become the top earner at his position once Peterson fell off the books in the next few years.
But this isn't about that.
Dependability is the central issue.
That's why the Steelers could ride Bell for 12 regular-season games plus playoffs, then either offer a low-ball deal, let him walk or place the franchise tag on him. The tag for running backs was around $11.8 million in 2016. Bell is talented enough to warrant franchise consideration despite his track record off the field and his ending back-to-back seasons prematurely with knee injuries.
That's hardly a guarantee, especially as the team inevitably grows tired of drug-related headlines from its own locker room. Wide receiver Martavis Bryant is out for the season after multiple drug-testing offenses.
The Steelers currently have $5.365 million in cap space, including an $8.070-million figure for guard David DeCastro, who's likely getting a long-term deal that lessens the cap hit this year.
That leaves 2017 free agents Markus Wheaton, Lawrence Timmons, Jarvis Jones and one big contractual hurdle -- locking up Antonio Brown on one last big-money deal. Brown, a 2018 free agent, is vastly underpaid at $6 million-plus this year. Brown just turned 28 and has productive years left. Theoretically, Bell's off-field trouble just moved his money to Brown's bank account.
Bell's best case is he balls out when he returns, stays out of trouble and helps guide Pittsburgh to playoff success. Then, perhaps the Steelers would be willing to extend him to a team-friendly contract that protects them if he finds trouble again.
But all signs suggest that market-setting tailback money is not an option, which is probably a win for the Steelers. They can draft a tailback in the first few rounds of the 2017 draft. The Steelers eyed several potential pass-catching running backs in the fourth round but went conservative in the absence of a fifth-round pick.
None of the 20 highest-paid running backs has had multiple NFL drug offenses. That's a problem for Bell.
play
Bell's suspension could have financial impact (1:00)
7:47 AM ET
Jeremy Fowler
ESPN Staff Writer
The loss of Le’Veon Bell on the field is immense. But the Pittsburgh Steelers' front office might gain something else with his looming four-game suspension.
Cap space and dollars.
The mechanics of a Bell contract extension have shifted more than one of the tailback's deadly open-field cuts. The unsympathetic reality of the NFL is that healthy knees and trustworthiness equal money. Lately, Bell has been 0-for-2 in that area.
Now, the Steelers can enjoy Bell's production for at least 12 games without the pressure of dishing out an enormous long-term deal for the 2017 free agent. Bell's lost leverage lends flexibility to a team that has been strapped by the salary cap in recent years.
Basically, the Steelers can play this however they want. If the Steelers don't like what they see from Bell, they can justify a clean break.
Extending Bell was already a complicated proposition before last week's news that he's facing a suspension for missed drug tests, his second drug-related issue since 2014. The Steelers needed to see Bell healthy after he tore medial collateral and posterior cruciate ligaments in his right knee in Week 8 last season.
Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell will be a free agent in 2017. Tom Walko/Icon Sportswire
As long as Bell returned smoothly, he was ready to capitalize on an all-around game that produced 119 yards from scrimmage per game since 2013, tops in the NFL among running backs.
On ability alone, Bell would have no problem finding a contractual sweet spot between Adrian Peterson ($14 million per year) and LeSean McCoy ($8 million). Teams simply aren't giving tailbacks Peterson-like money anymore. His original deal is from 2011. If things fell right, Bell was set to become the top earner at his position once Peterson fell off the books in the next few years.
But this isn't about that.
Dependability is the central issue.
That's why the Steelers could ride Bell for 12 regular-season games plus playoffs, then either offer a low-ball deal, let him walk or place the franchise tag on him. The tag for running backs was around $11.8 million in 2016. Bell is talented enough to warrant franchise consideration despite his track record off the field and his ending back-to-back seasons prematurely with knee injuries.
That's hardly a guarantee, especially as the team inevitably grows tired of drug-related headlines from its own locker room. Wide receiver Martavis Bryant is out for the season after multiple drug-testing offenses.
The Steelers currently have $5.365 million in cap space, including an $8.070-million figure for guard David DeCastro, who's likely getting a long-term deal that lessens the cap hit this year.
That leaves 2017 free agents Markus Wheaton, Lawrence Timmons, Jarvis Jones and one big contractual hurdle -- locking up Antonio Brown on one last big-money deal. Brown, a 2018 free agent, is vastly underpaid at $6 million-plus this year. Brown just turned 28 and has productive years left. Theoretically, Bell's off-field trouble just moved his money to Brown's bank account.
Bell's best case is he balls out when he returns, stays out of trouble and helps guide Pittsburgh to playoff success. Then, perhaps the Steelers would be willing to extend him to a team-friendly contract that protects them if he finds trouble again.
But all signs suggest that market-setting tailback money is not an option, which is probably a win for the Steelers. They can draft a tailback in the first few rounds of the 2017 draft. The Steelers eyed several potential pass-catching running backs in the fourth round but went conservative in the absence of a fifth-round pick.
None of the 20 highest-paid running backs has had multiple NFL drug offenses. That's a problem for Bell.
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Maybe not in the way I sated But you can fire a player in the NFL. Bench him / don't play him / don't dress him / sit him at practice are all ways you deal and make an affect on ALL the players. Waive him is another thing and the union can't do squat. Union may bicker and blow smoke but ultimately players can and have been fired, in a sense of firing.
Salute the nation
Salute the nation
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Marcus Allen just might know what you are talking about.
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Call me a homer, but I believe Bell and don't think he will be suspended. Only Bell and the NFL know what happened, and I choose to believe our running back.
Because the NFL is so willing to listen to excuses?
If it was one missed test for me perhaps he get the benefit of the doubt.
but two?
not looking good
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Well take it for what it is at this point; apparently he missed his test(s) because he got a new phone number. I read that it's up to him to let the medical advisor of this change but he also sounds quite confident that he's not serving a suspension. Also, the NFL has yet to "officially" announce that he's even suspended yet.
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Clete
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He missed at least 3 drug tests, the idiot is getting the 4 game suspension
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I agree and I feel he's absolutely going to sit at least a couple games. Especially coming out and opening his mouth about how he's not sitting any time. The shield doesn't like being challenged like that and the mother ****** needs to keep his mouth shut. However, this news about his phone number change just broke so I guess we'll see how it plays out.
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Clete
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I think he changed his number because he would fail the drug tests. No way he is stupid enough to think a changed phone number would excuse at least 3 missed tests. I guess this Mensa memeber also forgot to give it to the Steelers or other steeler players. LOL, he can be all over social media but makes himself unavailable to the NFL who holds his career in their hands, yeah right.
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Maybe the league didn't make much of an effort to reach Bell after the changed number. They could always call his agent or the Steelers office.
The funny thing is he completed his probation stemming from his arrest. Part of the stipulations for that was he had to abstain from the weed and alcohol. Can't test negative for one test and not the other. Would be a shame if he was clean the whole time and is suspended because he didn't take the NFL tests or because the of the phone issue..
If I change my phone number, I typically tell people about it. Especially my employer, etc.
If that is his excuse, he is more of a dumb-*** than I first expected. Come on man!
If that is his excuse, he is more of a dumb-*** than I first expected. Come on man!
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Didn't Bell mock his 4-20 drug test on twitter? Yes, he's a dumb @ss. He didn't even know he could get a DUI for pot.
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Well, there are two possibilities.
A) if he really missed the test because of pot, the answer is simple. addiction. That's the only logical reason a person risks THAT MUCH for so little.
B) if Leveon is being truthful about getting a new phone and simply being too dim-witted to register the number with the NFL offices so they could reach him for his tests, well dim-witted is precisely the correct term. He's apparently been baby-sat for so long that he's incapable of surviving in the wild. He needs to be monitored like a toddler and probably fed. I understand how you can let something like this slip, but this is such an epic ****-up, and after having worked so hard to clear his name...
That's tough man. If that truly is the case, his BEST move is to simply come out and tell everyone "I'm a ******* tool." "I'm so sorry. I didn't think long enough to consider that the NFL would need to contact me on my new phone cause I'm young and stupid. I realize now that I have no choice but to go to the NFL and beg them to recognize that I'm essentially a child, incapable of looking after myself." Seriously, that's what he's down to. That's the WIN for Leveon.