DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Le'Veon Bell

It seems like we won't be dealing with Le'Veon Bell too much longer (or maybe even this year):

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24114...se-tag-deadline

That's a shame.. I'm all upset.

I am shocked that he turned down $70 million, as was reported.

- I was kind of hoping they'd offer him what he wants, which would strap them even further financially

- But I was also kind of hoping they'd continue to disagree, further causing the chasm between he and the team

- It'll be interesting to see where he winds up; which team(s) are willing to offer a RB 16-18 million per year?

Jets?


They always seem to sign someone else's proven RB. All the way back to Curtis Martin. Thomas Jones. Ladainian Tomlinson. Chris Ivory. Matt Forte. Isaiah Crowell.

49ers came to mind: young QB, cap availability, good play caller, etc

If what I read is accuratte .... NO WAY does he get more than the Stilers offered next year ... signing him even at what the Stilers offered would CRIPPLE A TEAMS SALARY CAP STRUCTURE ...

Le'Veon Bell - RB - Steelers
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports the Steelers offered Le'Veon Bell a five-year, $70 million contract prior to Monday's 4 PM ET deadline.

Per RapSheet, the offer contained more than $30 million over the first two years, but Bell has opted to instead play on the $14.544 million tag for the second straight year before hitting free agency at 27 years old next March. The $14 million average on the Steelers' offer would easily make Bell the league's highest-paid back, an honor held at the moment by Devonta Freeman at $8.25 million per year. It's hard to see Bell doing better than this next offseason, but we'll see.

Source: Ian Rapoport on Twitter Jul 16 - 6:57 PM

The GREAT SHORT TERM NEWS ....

If the holdout plays out like last year Bell will have a greatly reduced role in week 1 ...

Le'veon Bell is gonna get these young running backs paid. Zeke, Fournette, Kareem and Alvin Kamara are going to get paid eventually.

I'm a Steelers-hater, but he is a pleasure to watch run. His running style trips me out.

That is just silly money!

I'm guessing that his agent already has a team lined up that feels like they will have the cap space next year... or, it's just a tactic because Le'veon wants to experience Free Agency, which if your current team is throwing that kind of money at you, is completely silly.

Glad it isn't happening to us.

he really is an incredible runner

Yeah, we have a nice balance in the backfield right now too. Each of the 3 can give us a little of something, and each is paid at their value or below.

It would be nice if he were to holdout and miss our first game, but that's not something that happens to us. We usually get the star players return (Tom Brady).

Most likely a team with a QB on a rookie contract. The Jets, Buffalo, Baltimore, Kansas City, Chicago, etc.

Also, how long does Bell hold out this year? Scherzer said it could be half the season.

Any team that pays him what he is looking for is a fool.

JC

A. He's stupid. He's weighing the risk of injury against what upside? NFL backs aren't getting paid 18-20 per... not on a 5 year deal.

B. Holding out would be a terrible idea. He already looks like he's way too stuck on "me" and not enough on "team"... won't bode well for free agency next year.

There are usually solid free agent backs on the market, and plenty of soon-to-be workhorses in the draft. What makes a team want to pay triple for Le'Veon?

I know I'll get heat for this, but the only thing that makes him better than Duke is scheme and a great QB. I'll pass on all RBs north of 10 mil.

If they offered $70 mil and he turned it down, then it must've not had much guarantee money and etc. Sounds like the Steelers are trying to hurt his reputation with the fans.

But yeah, we likely won't have to deal with Bell, even this season.

You've hit on the key ingredient here. A contract to a player is only really worth the guaranteed portion of the contract. I'm not really taking a side in this because I have no idea what was guaranteed. But just seeing the gross total of a contract can be very deceiving.

yeah, the Steelers leaking the offer to the media shows the lack of trust between the sides IMO ... it's a tactic to garner fan support.

We don't know the specifics of the deal ... but the fans immediately blame Bell

What rap reported was it was an average of 14.55 with over 30 million gauranteed in the first two years ... don’t really need to know much more than that to draw the conclusion he’s a sellfish player thats way way overvalued himself .... OK ... if the stilers were willing to give him 30 mill + over the first two years ... i guess he didn’t “way overvalue” himself ... *L* ...

Good luck winning with a RB taking up that much of your cap space ...

Good Luck to Bell getting more next year ...

He’s going to destroy a teams cap structure ... i wouldn’t touch him with a 10’ pole if thats what he wants ...

I really don't know what he's mad about w/ the offer ... maybe he wanted 15 million guaranteed for 3-4 years? Maybe he wanted more than 15 million per year?

Like I said, it'll be tough to find someone to invest much more

It will be. It seems like he's backing himself into a corner where $1 more a year would allow him to say, see, it was worth it... of course the team that pays him that minimal extra money might also never contend in the playoffs the way the Steelers do almost every year..

then there is the question, what happens to his leverage if the Steelers start 5-1 without him?

He’ll report on or about 9/1 like last year ... we catch a HUGE BREAK as i imagine he will be on a pitch count ...

4life - he recently said he wanted 17 mill a year ... he says he should be paid like an elite WR not an elite RB ...

I have no clue why wr’s make so much more than rb’s ... but thats how the pay scale is set up ...

thanks

I'd assume that WRs are paid more because it's a smarter investment for the teams ... they last longer.

It's much safer to sign Antonio Brown to a 4 year 70 million dollar deal than it is to sign LeVeon Bell to one

Plus, it's harder to run/perfect a route than it is to run in between the tackles. Probably why the old saying that it's harder for WR to adjust to NFL than most positions.

In any case, if what Diam said is true about the amount of $ he wants, then yeah - I just cannot possibly see a team drop that cash for a RB. Very, very selfish, but hey... not our problem to deal with.

Hyde, Chubb and Duke is more than enough for me, and the one dude hasn't even taken a NFL snap.

I don’t make stuff up or lie ...

Le'Veon Bell and the Pittsburgh Steelers have been engaged in a stand off over a long-term contract for over a year, and that dispute is far from being settled. Bell is playing his second consecutive season under the franchise tag, and the Steelers have drafted running backs in James Conner and Jaylen Samuels in consecutive seasons likely with an eye on replacing him. They are probably going to have to, because Tom Pelissero of NFL Network went on Around the NFL and revealed that Bell is still asking for the same absurd number that was reported earlier in the offseason.

"The number that he turned down a year ago was a five-year deal worth more than the $12.1 million tag. Bell’s number in negotiations this offseason in talks has been $17 million, he wants to be by far the highest-paid running back, he wants to be on Antonio Brown’s level with this contract." That figure has been reported by Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL Network earlier in the offseason, and despite reports from Jeremy Fowler of ESPN that suggested the number wasn't quite set in stone, this Pelissero report holds in line with everything that has been reported so far. The running back with the highest average annual value on his contract, according to Spotrac, is Devonta Freeman at $8.25 million per year. Bell is asking for more than double that.

https://247sports.com/nfl/pittsburgh-ste...port-118530396/

I read that he has also said that he will not report until mid-season. (probably around week 8, so he can accrue a season under the CBA)

The original article contains this quote:



Doesn't sound like he is going to be reporting too late. LOL

Whoa. I obviously don't keep up on this type of stuff..........but, even under the tag, he's wanting to hold out/not play til mid season?

Le'Veon Bell may sit out first half, seeking new Steelers contract | SI.com
https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/07/16/leveon...f-season-report

Amidst another contract dispute, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell may sit out the first half of the 2018 season, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

"I think it's possible Le'Veon Bell sits out the first half of the year if he doesn't get a long-term deal done," ESPN's Adam Schefter said. "The goal at that point would be to hit 2019 free agency healthy, not rack up another 400 touches."

The 26-year-old Bell had until 4 p.m. ET on Monday to negotiate a long-term deal with the Steelers. Since the two sides did not agree on a new contract, Bell must either sign his $14.5 million franchise tender or begin a holdout.

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports Pittsburgh offered Bell a five-year, $70 million contract, which would be an increase from the five-year, $60 million deal the team offered prior to last season.

Bell held out last season until the first week of September after facing similar issues with the Steelers front office.

Widely considered the best running back in the NFL, Bell rushed for 1,291 yards and received another 655 last season. He finished with 11 total touchdowns for the AFC North champion Steelers.

If Pittsburgh wishes to keep its "Killer B's" of Bell, Antonio Brown and Ben Roethlisberger together, it appears they will have to shell out a long-term contract for their star running back.

So, who do we believe? Le'Veon's own words or a reporter who offers an opinion?

Bell said he’s following the same path he did last year ... he’s planning to reportt around 9/1 ... with this dude that can change but thats what he’s said ....

Your article was Shefter specualating before the deadline to get the deal done had passed ... Bell has spoken since then ...

GREAT NEWS FOR US ...

j/c

I thought I heard Bell say he'd be back "around September 1st" and expects to have his "best year yet" ... sitting out til mid season is new to my eyes, but we'll see I guess.

I'm still taken aback by how far down the road this situation has gotten. I figured they'd hammer out a long term deal, but the Steelers are adamant about their number ... and so is Bell.

I don't care what he does.

Idk Punch.. I believe to be the best you have to beat the best... Sometimes winning a game due to the other teams star players being out is kind of a cheap win jmo..


Wins are wins...but winning against Bradys and Bells seem more meaningful to me..

We couldn’t beat the cast of Sesame Street last year ...

I’d be OK in week 1 if Ben, AB, Juju and Bell couldn’t suit up ... if that happpens hopefully Kermit isn’t available ... ...

My sentiments exactly.

I do as it pertains to his week 1 availability ... I’ll take any advantage we can gain over them short of icing for someone to be hurt ...

I just think he's either receiving very poor advice, is very selfish, or both.

Even if he gets the money he wants, that team will be strapped.

He had a great gig going in Pitt ... AND he was going to get 80% of the money

Somebody else has gotta get this guy! He can run like his hair is on fire! But do the math: At 70 millyen, how much are you paying per yard?

Silly money indeed. But he is fun to watch. Except for a few obvious Sundays.