Le'veon Bell did not report to the Steelers, done for the year

[RobertWeathers]

To get that contract off the books, no question.

I kinda throw it out there in jest but the $ works

 

[TomPatriot]

Question 1:
How much more valuable is Le'Veon Bell to a team than Sammy Watkins is?

Question 2:
If Sammy Watkins was able to get a 3-year contract for $48 million and $30 million guaranteed, how much will Bell make - with two years worth of cap increases taken into consideration?

It is extremely rare for a player of Bell's caliber to hit free agency while still in his prime. I think many people are underestimating how big of a contract he will be offered by multiple teams next spring.

I agree with this. He gets serious money.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

I kinda throw it out there in jest but the $ works

Do you think Carr is salvageable at this point. Can he get back to the level he was at in 2016?

 

[RobertWeathers]

Do you think Carr is salvageable at this point. Can he get back to the level he was at in 2016?

No clue but if unimpeded by Kraft I can see BB sending Tom to Gruden

 

[supafly]

@rochrist was right. Bell threw me (and others) off by showing up in Pittsburgh last week. I thought that was a sign that he’d be showing up at the last minute in some kind of dramatic fashion.

 

[fair catch fryar]

Not what I would I do, but strangely enough, I can respect his decision.

 

[Ivan]

Excellent decision

I support it completely

 

[lillloyd]

My $.02 as a Steelers fan:

1. Bell will get paid a large contract with roughly the amount of guaranteed money he is looking for, for the reasons jmt stated. Plus, it just takes one team to pay out...

2. Bell has every right to choose to not play, and there are legitimate arguments to support such a stance. Injuries can happen anytime (different financial situation, but see: Earl Thomas), and Bell plays at arguably the most dangerous position in that regard.

3. Only time will tell whether his gambit made sense from a purely financial perspective; but whether he 'makes up' for that 14.5 million lost is only part of the equation. He is basically trading a guaranteed 1 year/14.5 million dollar 'deal' in 2018, for what he is betting will be $30-$40 million guaranteed on his next (and best) contract opportunity. Maybe he cares more about the total guaranteed money, than the potential for larger earnings over his career (maybe not an unreasonable position to take, for an RB that's already had a couple of knee injuries).

4. My only gripe really with Bell's position has been his lack of contact with the team. Unless he has some legal/contractual reason for it, it seems like he could have been up front with Pitt from the beginning.

5. I think Bell's a great player, but he seems unlikely to land in a spot that is as favorable as Pittsburgh (excellent OL, passing attack+ other elite weapons to take pressure off of him), just from a pure production standpoint.

Weirdly I always root for Pitt players when they move on, so I wish him the best...

 

[sambam94]

Excellent decision

I support it completely

he crapped all over his teammates, guy is a selfish jerk

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Glad to hear he’s playing pickup basketball in his spare time. Maybe he can also take on motorcycle stunts too. Smart guy.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Smart man.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Would Gruden trade Carr to NE for Brady?

Carr's salary and cap/dead cap hits are digestible

 

[maust]

he crapped all over his teammates, guy is a selfish jerk

He didn't crap all over his teammates, he made a business decision just like the team did when it tagged him. We can debate the merit$ of Bell's decision but only time will tell. If he was a 'good' teammate and signed the tender then suffered a career ending injury would his teammates be 'good guys' and make up for the lost income? As fans it's a component we tend to discount but business is business, it's only a sport to us.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I can’t fault the guy. Were the steelers just going to keep giving him 1 year contracts until he gets injured or just too old to play?

Not even going to pretend to know what its like to piss away 15 million, but I can’t defintely see the long term aspect of Bells argument. Especially after the E Thomas injury.

Agree with Steeler fans comments about little contact. Could of been handled a lot better with just a simple statement telling the players and fans why he was going about it the way he was. Sure, its a business but dont think for a second that fans aren’t owed some kind of explanation. They are the back bone of the industry and it would of gone a long way in perception. Hopefully he takes a column in Jeters site and sets the record. Even though we kind of already know why.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

He is truly the most overrated player in the NFL since he gets an unworthy “superstar” billing.. He’s a good player. There isn’t a single thing he does well enough to be considered a superstar. He has good vision (though arguably his ability to hold and wait for holes is a tribute the Pittsburgh line.). He is a good backfield receiver. He is elusive (probably his best skill). He is fairly, but certainly not notably, explosive with speed/breakaway ability.

But he isn’t elite at any of those things, just all-around above average.

His reputation is built on being the only running back besides Gurley (who is way better) that gets a very high usage rate in a higher scoring offense with an elite passing game. Put a good three-down RB in an offense like New England or Green Bay, with a strong run blocking line, give him 25 touches, and you’ll see similar numbers.

As for his idea that he should be paid like a running back PLUS wide receiver, well that’s idiotic. Cam Newton then should get paid like a QB plus running back and Rob Gronkowski should be paid like a receiver and left tackle, if you want to go down that road. In the end, his versatility doesn’t do that much. I’d take Michel and White over just Bell, or at least it’s close, and a lot cheaper.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

he crapped all over his teammates, guy is a selfish jerk

He gave up 14 million in hopes of securing a multi year commitment.

 

[Tony2046]

It’s hard to imagine him ever making that 14.5 million back. If anything, next year he will be two years removed from football. Someone will give him a big contract, but it is not going to be anything like the contracts that Donald or Mack got. Plus he has effectively taken the Steelers out of the bidding process.

And the two biggest spenders the Rams and th Cowboys will not be In The market for a RB.

Depends on how you look at it. If he gets a contract with 28 million or so guaranteed he wins. Yes he lost his 14 million this year but if he had a significant injury he would have lost his chance to get a sizable guaranteed contract.

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

Would Gruden trade Carr to NE for Brady?

Carr's salary and cap/dead cap hits are digestible

Brady instantly retires if he gets traded to Gruden.
Maybe Bill can trade Tom Gronk and Julian for Oakland's 3 1st round picks.
I'm only half joking

 

[Triumph]

Bell can easily make up the 14 mil lost in new signing bonus which is usually only guaranteed money anyway.

I don't blame Bell at all. RBs have a short shelf life in the NFL. The money is there to make and some team will pay it. The Steelers would cut Bell in a heartbeat if he tore his legs up and couldn't produce anymore. Look at Earl Thomas in Seattle. He rolled the dice and lost. Might never be the same player. Not worth it. Money talks and BS walks.

Bet Revis is damn glad that he held out and made his money when he could.Smart if you ask me.

 

[supafly]

My $.02 as a Steelers fan:

1. Bell will get paid a large contract with roughly the amount of guaranteed money he is looking for, for the reasons jmt stated. Plus, it just takes one team to pay out...

2. Bell has every right to choose to not play, and there are legitimate arguments to support such a stance. Injuries can happen anytime (different financial situation, but see: Earl Thomas), and Bell plays at arguably the most dangerous position in that regard.

3. Only time will tell whether his gambit made sense from a purely financial perspective; but whether he 'makes up' for that 14.5 million lost is only part of the equation. He is basically trading a guaranteed 1 year/14.5 million dollar 'deal' in 2018, for what he is betting will be $30-$40 million guaranteed on his next (and best) contract opportunity. Maybe he cares more about the total guaranteed money, than the potential for larger earnings over his career (maybe not an unreasonable position to take, for an RB that's already had a couple of knee injuries).

4. My only gripe really with Bell's position has been his lack of contact with the team. Unless he has some legal/contractual reason for it, it seems like he could have been up front with Pitt from the beginning.

5. I think Bell's a great player, but he seems unlikely to land in a spot that is as favorable as Pittsburgh (excellent OL, passing attack+ other elite weapons to take pressure off of him), just from a pure production standpoint.

Weirdly I always root for Pitt players when they move on, so I wish him the best...

Don’t share this info with any other Steeler fans. I’m enjoying the burning of the jerseys like he is a terrible human being for trying to maximize his earning potential directly after Todd Gurley signed a deal worth 45m guaranteed.