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RB Le'Veon Bell, FA (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Eminence
- Start date
Bojang0301
Omar4Heisman
That agent won’t be his agent by the time next off season is over... that would be my guess.
Ksquared
Footballguy
No this is all on Bell. The agent had an agreement in principle with Pittsburgh a year ago and Bell rejected it. I heard today that both his agent and the NFLPA have told him to sign but he refuses. I am beginning to wonder if he really likes football or not. Lots of players make some $$ and get to a point where it becomes totally a business for them, which is fine except you cannot play very well if you do not enjoy the game. It is too hard on your body and mind...this is why I along with a lot of others have been saying Bell will come back on Week 10 but may not play in the playoffs because the $$ are minuscule in comparison to what he should be getting per week right now.
jon007
Footballguy
I'm going to jump into this conversion.
I don't give a rats ### about what the Steelers think, or the NFL, or the NFLPA.
I'm certainly not going to give a rats ### about what Bell's agent thinks.
EVERYONE INVOLVED is only thinking about money.
Truth is the Steelers have a one of a kind talent and they screwed up with all the tags.
There should be a rule where you can only tag a player once. Once!
Truth is if a trade happens and Bell goes to Philly, sh*ts about to get real.
Bell would guarantee Philly division winners.
Bell would help get Philly to another NFC Championship game.
Beyond that I don't have a clue.
Rams, Saints look legit.
I don't give a rats ### about what the Steelers think, or the NFL, or the NFLPA.
I'm certainly not going to give a rats ### about what Bell's agent thinks.
EVERYONE INVOLVED is only thinking about money.
Truth is the Steelers have a one of a kind talent and they screwed up with all the tags.
There should be a rule where you can only tag a player once. Once!
Truth is if a trade happens and Bell goes to Philly, sh*ts about to get real.
Bell would guarantee Philly division winners.
Bell would help get Philly to another NFC Championship game.
Beyond that I don't have a clue.
Rams, Saints look legit.
Godsbrother
Footballguy
Steelers4Life
Footballguy
I agree, ultimately it comes down to the player. And yeah, he could've accepted the deal in 2017 when the team and the agent both considered it a done deal.
I honestly believe that ultimately he had planned to report, but then saw Gurley's reported contract and changed his mind. No idea if he realized that Gurley only got $22M of the $45M fully guaranteed in year one at the time. So maybe he gambled on the Steelers needing him and caving, but Conner's performance has killed that need, and the fact is no one anywhere expected Conner to perform the way he has based on how he looked as a rookie. And now Bell is watching someone who 99% of fans realize is at least a little less talented overall put up exceptional numbers in his place, and it can't be doing good things for perception of him around the league.
It's not just $8M or whatever that he's lost this year. I think his reputation has taken a hit too, and I don't see the Steelers trusting or needing him enough for that to change this year unless Conner gets hurt. It'll change next year if he blows up somewhere else, but there aren't many situations out there that'll be better than what he has/had in Pittsburgh.
Ditkaless Wonders
Footballguy
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Steeler
Footballguy
simsarge
Footballguy
The guy's a legit one of a kind talent. We can hypothesize 9 ways to Sunday whether he would have been even better than Connor as a 2018 fantasy stat commodity, but no debating the talent.
babydemon90
Footballguy
I'm not sure how Conner doing well is hurting Bell. I don't think anyone thinks Bell is a product of the Pitt "system", right? He is what he is. Conner doing well just means Pitt is going to feel pretty good about not bringing Bell back next year - but that was already a done deal. Bell wasn't going back. Pitt could not have extended him during the season while he was playing on the franchise tag.
I agree it's not a great play, and Bell lost money - but that isn't due to Conner, it's due to him sitting out games he could be making a ####load of money in.
I agree it's not a great play, and Bell lost money - but that isn't due to Conner, it's due to him sitting out games he could be making a ####load of money in.
Ditkaless Wonders
Footballguy
Maybe. Certainly he has had historic production, there is no denying that. Maybe he is the greatest ever at waiting on his blocks and picking his holes. He is not a back with the moves of Sanders, the routes of Faulk, the power of Brown, the all around game of Payton, but his production is something that cannot be questioned. But then there is that thing were the unheralded backup seems to be producing just as he did. Weird.
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Godsbrother
Footballguy
I think Bell is a legit talent but he's also been fortunate to play on an offense like the Steelers. I do not think Bell will be as effective on some of the teams that will be lining up to sign him next season. I could be wrong about that -- time will tell.
BassNBrew
Footballguy
Bojang0301
Omar4Heisman
? Conner is on pace for more yards than Bell’s 2014 season and twice as many TD’s as Bell’s highest TD season... so which is it: is it the system making Conner that good or is Conner a special talent? You people act like it’s counting stats but it’s not. Conner has more 20+ yard runs than Bell ever had. He has a higher YPR than Bell has ever had. It’s every metric outside of matching the highs of Bell’s YPC which Bell, himself, will never reach again. It’s not that Conner is doing “well” or “good” he is doing all-world. It’s time people either start acknowledging that Conner is special or start fading Bell as this end all, be all talent.
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
He’s not guaranteeing anything for Philly. They have plenty of other issues that they need to work out and there are a lot of good teams in the NFC. Even their division isn’t a lock with Bell
Godsbrother
Footballguy
Yep. The Steelers should be thrilled that Bell didn't sign their multi-year contract offer
BigJim®
Footballguy
Your confusion is surprising. You are right that Bell is what he is, but seeing no drop off from Conner disabuses any notion that you need to pay a guy what Bell is demanding to have success on the ground. It marginalizes how critical of a contributor he actually is/was to the Steelers, whereas Conner futility would have made his case.
babydemon90
Footballguy
I mean, Hunt, Kamara, Devid Johnson, etc.. should have already made the point that could can get quality RB's in the 3rd round clear.
Steelers4Life
Footballguy
There's no one anywhere who'd dispute how well Conner has played. That said, there's also a very clear difference with how defenses line up and account for Conner compared to how they did with Bell. That's not meant to diminish anything about Conner either, and I'm sure that Conner can get to the same status among opposing defensive coordinators soon. The Steelers are playing a lot more 2 TE sets this year than 3 WR sets because neither Washington or Hunter have stepped up. Because of that, defenses are playing more with an 8 man-fronts but the Steelers have enough blocking to deal with it. It's opened things up differently but just as well as it did when Bell was in there and able to line up in the slot or run wide receiver type routes. Conner catches a lot of his passes as dump-offs or quick outs where he's
I don't think Bell is a truly elite talent or worth nearly what he wanted. Very, very talented as both a runner and a receiver and in a perfect situation. I think Conner is every bit as talented as a runner but a little less versatile as a WR, but the Steelers get him into situations to be successful really, really well. He's benefited from both the supporting cast around him and the fact that nothing he's done was expected, and he still isn't a guy defenses are game-planning around. That very well might change soon.
BigJim®
Footballguy
Clearly, but your post that I replied to suggested confusion how Conner's success undermines Bell's worth. Bell can be both (1) an elite RB and (2) demonstrably not as critical of a cog as he hoped his absence would show him to be.
The General
Footballguy
My guess is he comes back and by the time fantasy playoffs are here he is wrecking fantasy values. Syphoning like 12-15 touches a game.
djjosee
Footballguy
Twenty-Four Eighty-Four
Footballguy
This is what I've been thinking and saying to others. Each week the Steelers RBs will be a great play but you won't know who to play, who will get the TDs.
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
If you notice how switz had been used in the slot and in the backfield that should give some insight on how bell and conner will be used together, although i suspect much more production from bell and more runs.
ghostguy123
Footballguy
ghostguy123
Footballguy
simsarge
Footballguy
Counting stats is what you're doing for comparison. I've never seen Connor on more than an ESPN highlight so I can't say he is or isn't as good as Bell. I'm not basing their comparison on stats as there's too many variables to account for (Sayers/Payton ~ Faulk/Dickerson ~ Kelley/Brown). I just know what my own eyes have seen and I think Bell is great. No need for eye rolls.Bojang0301 said:
ghostguy123
Footballguy
bryhamm
Footballguy
I don't want to wade through the entire thread looking for the answer, so figured I would just ask. I've heard conflicting things regarding when Bell HAS to report to get credit for the year. I've heard he as to "play" in 6 games (I assume that means not actually playing, but be on the active roster) and I've also heard he has to report by week 11. But if he reports by week 11, that would be 7 games, not 6. So, which is it?
And I'm ignoring the 2 week exemption that the Steelers could do. I'm talking about the specifics of when he HAS to report to get get credit for the year.
And I'm ignoring the 2 week exemption that the Steelers could do. I'm talking about the specifics of when he HAS to report to get get credit for the year.
He has to report by week 11 if he wants to accrue 6 games. Not sure when during the week that has to be, but he has to report prior to their week 11 game.
Now for some speculation.
At this point I'm not sure accruing the season is that big of a deal to him since the Steelers won't franchise him again . My guess is he will report tomorrow unless he is traded and them he might not make it in till Thursday. He just preferred to wait the trade deadline out instead of signing the tender.
I do think it's more likely then not his agent has been apprised of trade talks and has possibly been given permission to speak to other teams if for nothing else to offer assurances he would show if traded. I believe this because I believe when Bell told Fowler he'd return after week 7 I think that was his plan at the time. But since then team(s) have shown enough trade interest that he decided it made no sense other than obvious collection of game checks to return to a locker room that might have moved on from him only to get shipped out in next week or two.
steelers1080
Footballguy
He has to play in 6 games or the Steelers can Franchise him for the exact same amount next year. If he's active for 6 games then the value of the franchise tag jumps a ton and isn't realistic.
He HAS to sign the tag by week 11 or he has to sit out all year, that's the rule of the franchise tag. There would be 7 games left, so if he wasn't exempt, then he could play 6 games then skip the last game and playoffs.
BUT, the Steelers are expected to put him on the exempt list for 2 weeks. He does not get credit for those weeks or paid (pending negotiations) so if he shows up week 11, and is exempt for 2 weeks, then he might only play 5 games and not gain a year and be Franchised again for the same amount. Not sure what happens if he plays 5 reg and 1 playoff or something.
Everyone thinks he could show up this week because the trade deadline will pass and then even if he's exempt 2 weeks he'll still get enough games to be free of the tag next year.
It's a complex situation made moreso because no one has a clue what to expect from Leveon, we're in uncharted territory here. My guess is that he shows up this week or next and is put on the exempt list, he can fight it but his only recourse is to sit out the whole year. With how Conner is playing, I doubt the Steelers would tag Leveon again next year, but if Conner gets some crazy injury you never know, so sitting out the entire year is more risky to Leveon than showing up soon. Unless he's ok with sitting 2 years.
TLDR: His options are:
- Report now.
- Report after trade deadline.
- Report any time before Franchise Deadline.
- Don't report.
bryhamm
Footballguy
Thanks. This helps a lot. Didn't realize the week 11 and the 6 games were in essence BOTH in play for 2 slightly different reasons.
My guess is he either reports tomorrow or early next week, knowing the Steelers are going to exempt him for 2 weeks, then he is ready to go for the 6 games he needs.
TheFanatic
Footballguy
Is the Agent calling Bell to apologize or is Bell calling his agent and apologizing? Bell is the one refusing to deals and refusing to report. I don't think the Agent is wagging the dog here. I think Bell thought he had all the leverage and has found out he doesn't.
GROOT
Footballguy
So far, Deangelo Williams and James Connor both stepped in and produced at the same level as Bell. Why is anyone thinking Bell is some kind of special talent? He's a nice player. Can play three downs because of his hands. He also has injury issues and drug issues. I imagine some team will try to make a splash next year and pay him good money, but that team is making a huge mistake.
msommer
Footballguy
Yep, this is key. Also, after today he has little incentive in sitting out any longer unless he wants the Steelers to be able to tag him as a RB at $14.5m again next year if they so please
bryhamm
Footballguy
This is a terrible response. 
Fat Nick
Footballguy
Not even close to a fair analogy. As far as I've seen, Connor hasn't #### the bed after a few starts - he's looked better and better each week. The point is, and I agree with it, that either:
1) Bell, D. Williams, and Conner are all extremely good, superstar RB's; or
2) The Steelers OL and system make good RB's.
I'm far more inclined to think it's #2 - and if you think it's #2, it's reasonable to think that any of those 3 guys would be average, or slightly above average RB's on another team. That's part of why a lot of folks laugh at the thought of Bell producing numbers anywhere near what he's put up in Pittsburgh on another team. It's the line/system, not the guy.
Fat Nick
Footballguy
McCoy was actually decent in his first few years in Buffalo though...I'm not sure Bell will be. I think McCoy was a much more gifted runner honestly.
Top tier RB success is very dependent on having a top five OL, QBs who can move the ball and increase scoring chances, and teams with good defenses to allow positive game scripts especially in the 4th quarter. Bell has been blessed to play in that situation his whole career. Plus, Tomlin uses his RBs as bellcows, not in committee further inflating Bell's stats. He's JAG and that's why De Williams and Conner have thrived in his absence because it's mainly the system, not because Bell is some outlier talent.
McCoy was a similar situation. Now that he plays on one of the worst teams in the NFL with a terrible OL, terrible QB and terrible defense, he's terrible too.
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