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

[TheRainMaker]

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.

You are spot on. Bell needs a ton of touches in order to be effective. His yards per carry is actually very low considering how well his line blocks. His tap dancing style would not work with many other teams.

Gurley is by far the best RB in the league right now and it’s laughable that people say it’s Bell.

 

[Patjew]

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

Interesting. I see Kraft as the biggest impediment to any Brady trade, no matter how sweet the deal.

 

[RobertWeathers]

View attachment 21742

I stated after this post I was somewhat joking.....

I think Tom would retire first.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Interesting. I see Kraft as the biggest impediment to any Brady trade, no matter how sweet the deal.

No question.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

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

And that shows how bad the football player's collective bargaining was.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

I stated after this post I was somewhat joking.....

I think Tom would retire first.

I figured you were kidding

 

[Kontradiction]

Interesting. I see Kraft as the biggest impediment to any Brady trade, no matter how sweet the deal.

Eh, I think if that ended up ever being the case, BB would step down. The reason he came here (and the reason he's stayed) is because he has final authority in those matters.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

I have a feeling Bell's agent already has a contract in hand guaranteeing him to make up what he left on the table this year...... With a wink and a nod, he'll sign 20 minutes after free agent signing begins and end up with.. the Jets or some other detritus that thinks they can plug him in and get the same results. News flash, unless you have Pittsburgh's offensive line, you may be in for a disappointment. I see both sides and he made a decision that was right for him....

 

[1960Pats]

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...

I don't know his situation at all and I have questions and comments.

What was the reason he decided to skip out on his season? If he played under his contract would he have been locked in with Pittsburgh after this season?

I also wonder why another team would pay him if they know that he might dump them too if he isn't happy. Why would another team take that chance?

I don't see how he can ever make up that amount of money. Usually I take the side of players vs management but this one feels different. He was offered a fair contract.

Doesn't the success of Conner show that it might not be Bell's talent that makes him so great? Conner seems to have filled the position very nicely. I guess the problem for Pittsburgh would come if Conner gets injured. Could Ridley or Samuels fill in?

After watching the Pats have success without a really gifted runner, I'm not sure that the Steelers will be in a bind over this. As a Pats fan I hope they will be, but I doubt it.

 

[1960Pats]

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.

This fan is still waiting for explanations from Belichick about a few things.

 

[Soliel]

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.

Who needs bell? We got Patterson

 

[DaBronxPats14]

jets* here I come! Playing in Loser Suckville for remainder of his career.

 

[PatsFan2]

Huge Bell fa

You are spot on. Bell needs a ton of touches in order to be effective. His yards per carry is actually very low considering how well his line blocks. His tap dancing style would not work with many other teams.

Gurley is by far the best RB in the league right now and it’s laughable that people say it’s Bell.

They are basically similar players legit dual threats I wouldn't favor one over the other. That said I have always been a Huge fan of Le'Veon Bell fan and wouldn't mind seeing him in a Pats uni.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

I don't know his situation at all and I have questions and comments.

What was the reason he decided to skip out on his season? If he played under his contract would he have been locked in with Pittsburgh after this season?

He's not under contract. He's a FA who was franchise-tagged by PIT. He didn't want to risk a career-ending or contract-value-destroying injury playing on a 1 year deal, so he refused to sign the franchise tender.

I don't see how he can ever make up that amount of money. Usually I take the side of players vs management but this one feels different. He was offered a fair contract.

Franchise tag tenders aren't very fair -- that's why players (rightfully) hate them so much and why teams use them all the time. Sure, he would have been paid $15mil this year, but if he wasn't tagged he probably could have signed some contract with a lot more guaranteed money than that. So he refused to sign the tender. Theoretically PIT could tag him again next year and we'd be back to the beginning.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

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

Sounds like perfect Jete!

Yes, they are interested, will have cap room, have a QB on a rookie contract...

stock the JETES with overpriced jerks

he would fit in!

 

[chasa]

revis 2.0, sign bell to a huge contract, and watch his career just sputter out while ****ing up the cap.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

Someone explain to me how the CBA works. How does Bell attain UFA status sitting this year out? In 2010, I thought Mankins showed up by the deadline to accrue his year towards UFA status and if he didn't, he would not be a UFA at the end of the year.

I'm sure the details between Mankins and Bell differ, so please educate me. Thanks.

Regards,
Chris

 

[lillloyd]

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.

I hope those are cheap jerseys....I mean, there's a Steelers HOFer who wore #26, why not just use a restitching service and replace "Bell" with "Woodson"...donezo.

I look at it like this: Let's say that you have a super high-risk job that could literally end anytime due to injury. You have two options: 1) work right now for a year, and be guaranteed $14 million, or 2) take a year off, and then start work with a likely guaranteed $30 million plus.

I mean, we're talking about locking in objectively stupid, "F U"-type money here. If you're doubling (or potentially more) your guaranteed money in a high-risk profession - and we're talking about tens of millions of dollars - how much does it really matter to you that your overall lifetime earnings *might* be less than what they could have been? Do you really care so much about millions $31m - $45m, or whatever, that you might have made that you'd pass on a guarantee to make millions $16m - $30m?

There are arguments for both sides and I'm sure opinions will differ, but frankly I'd probably take Bell's stance.

I think a lot of fans look at Bell's situation and compare it to their own, and consider him somehow 'ungrateful' since *we* would of course love to make millions. But the fact *we* would be doing backflips to have a one-year option like his completely irrelevant; the bottom line is that star NFL running backs are likely to have better financial options than we do, and in this case the scenario we'd be doing backflips over may actually be the lesser of the two options when you're a star RB.

Bell's decision point is ultimately between a $15m guaranteed scenario and a likely (IMO - given Gurley's guaranteed amount) $30m+ guaranteed scenario. Under that calculus, it's neither "stupid" nor "ungrateful" to take option B; in fact it's pretty reasonable.

 

[lillloyd]

FWIW.

I personally think Bell will place some value on going to a winning organization, if the offers are in the same ballpark. Philly seems like a pretty logical next step. I can hardly imagine the NYJ scenario, unless he *really* values the media market aspect of things.

Odds on Le’Veon Bell’s Next Team

• New York Jets: 3-1
• Oakland Raiders: 5-1
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 7-1
• Philadelphia Eagles: 7-1
• Green Bay Packers: 15-2
• San Francisco 49ers: 9-1
• Indianapolis Colts: 9-1
• Baltimore Ravens: 9-1
• Houston Texans: 12-1
• Seattle Seahawks: 16-1
• Pittsburgh Steelers: 16-1
• New England Patriots: 33-1

 

[italian pat patriot]

Good for us too...A Bell + Conner kombo would hv been an headache...