Quote:As Le'Veon Bell's holdout reaches a third week of the NFL season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have decided to listen to trade offers for their disgruntled star running back, according to ESPN.

Bell did not sign his one-year, $14.54 million franchise tender after the Steelers retained him in March using the franchise tag. The two sides failed to reach agreement despite negotiating toward a long-term contract in July. Based on the value of the franchise tender, Bell would lose $853K for each game he misses this season.

Bell's name was removed from the depth chart altogether ahead of Pittsburgh's Week 2 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Without the All-Pro at halfback, the Steelers have turned to second-year running back James Conner. He responded with 135 yards rushing and two scores on 31 carries and 57 receiving yards on five catches in a Week 1 tie against the Cleveland Browns. He was held to 17 yards on the ground against the Chiefs, but scored a touchdown and added five catches for 48 yards.

Conner was the highest-graded running back in preseason, according to Pro Football Focus.

In his five seasons in Pittsburgh, Bell has had at least 1,200 yards rushing and 600 receiving yards three times. He is a two-time first-team All-Pro, has been named to three Pro Bowls and is generally regarded as the best all-around running back in the league.

But his contract squabbles with the club have become an annual offseason ritual. After not signing under the franchise tag until Sept. 4 last season, Bell averaged fewer than 3.5 yards per carry through the first three weeks. But he finished 2017 with a league-high 321 carries for 1,291 yards along with 85 catches for 655 yards and 11 total touchdowns.

(09-24-2018, 11:32 AM)BFritz21 Wrote: After claiming that they won't trade Bell all offseason, the Steelers are caving because they know the season is lost and they won't get anything for Bell when he leaves after this year, so now they ARE listening to trade talks for Bell:


The thing is that no team is going to trade for him knowing that it's only a one-year deal and he won't resign because his value will be too high on the open market.

Bell's gone, Brown's pissed, and Ben has to be thinking about retirement with this shitty start and then adding on all this drama.

Are the Steelers screwed and panicking?  Looks like it.

(09-24-2018, 01:18 PM)Whatever Wrote: The Steelers FO botched this completely.  They could have gotten at least a 2nd for Bell if they had traded him this off-season, plus had the tag money to shore up their defense.  Now, they'll be lucky to get a 5th since he will be only a one year rental...if he signs the tender before week 10.  The Steelers tried to strongarm Bell into one more year and it's blown up in their face.

(09-24-2018, 01:18 PM)Whatever Wrote: The Steelers FO botched this completely.  They could have gotten at least a 2nd for Bell if they had traded him this off-season, plus had the tag money to shore up their defense.  Now, they'll be lucky to get a 5th since he will be only a one year rental...if he signs the tender before week 10.  The Steelers tried to strongarm Bell into one more year and it's blown up in their face.

(09-24-2018, 01:45 PM)Catmandude123 Wrote: The Steelers are stuck, big time. They know they are going to have to either cut Bell or trade him. The problem is they have to sign him to trade him and if they cut him they won't receive a comp pick. Bell won't do them any favors by agreeing to any trade. If they lose Monday night they should just cut their losses and just release him. Bell would then have to prove himself to other teams to get a great contract next year. 

(09-24-2018, 03:49 PM)StrictlyBiz Wrote: If they release him, they get absolutely nothing. If he signs the tender, plays the minimal amount of games, then leaves during FA in the offseason, they will get a 3rd round pick in 2020. So they A) are not stuck and will release him, and B) will get more than a 5th. They will get a minimum 3rd.

The Steelers have handled this situation as best as any team could. They offered him a deal that was far and away the best contract for a RB and he balked. This is all on Bell and his idiocy. What he's given up ($2.5M so far) he will never make again, regardless of what his next contract is. He's flushing untold millions down the drain, but hey, what the hell, it's saving the Steelers tons. I really believe that Bell has a very low IQ. It would be interesting to have him tested. I'll bet he's under 90. 

(09-24-2018, 03:49 PM)StrictlyBiz Wrote: If they release him, they get absolutely nothing. If he signs the tender, plays the minimal amount of games, then leaves during FA in the offseason, they will get a 3rd round pick in 2020. So they A) are not stuck and will release him, and B) will get more than a 5th. They will get a minimum 3rd.

The Steelers have handled this situation as best as any team could. They offered him a deal that was far and away the best contract for a RB and he balked. This is all on Bell and his idiocy. What he's given up ($2.5M so far) he will never make again, regardless of what his next contract is. He's flushing untold millions down the drain, but hey, what the hell, it's saving the Steelers tons. I really believe that Bell has a very low IQ. It would be interesting to have him tested. I'll bet he's under 90. 

(09-24-2018, 04:12 PM)Go Cards Wrote: Bell is a fool in this situation

(09-24-2018, 03:49 PM)StrictlyBiz Wrote: If they release him, they get absolutely nothing. If he signs the tender, plays the minimal amount of games, then leaves during FA in the offseason, they will get a 3rd round pick in 2020. So they A) are not stuck and will release him, and B) will get more than a 5th. They will get a minimum 3rd.

The Steelers have handled this situation as best as any team could. They offered him a deal that was far and away the best contract for a RB and he balked. This is all on Bell and his idiocy. What he's given up ($2.5M so far) he will never make again, regardless of what his next contract is. He's flushing untold millions down the drain, but hey, what the hell, it's saving the Steelers tons. I really believe that Bell has a very low IQ. It would be interesting to have him tested. I'll bet he's under 90

(09-24-2018, 03:49 PM)StrictlyBiz Wrote: If they release him, they get absolutely nothing. If he signs the tender, plays the minimal amount of games, then leaves during FA in the offseason, they will get a 3rd round pick in 2020. So they A) are not stuck and will release him, and B) will get more than a 5th. They will get a minimum 3rd.

The Steelers have handled this situation as best as any team could. They offered him a deal that was far and away the best contract for a RB and he balked. This is all on Bell and his idiocy. What he's given up ($2.5M so far) he will never make again, regardless of what his next contract is. He's flushing untold millions down the drain, but hey, what the hell, it's saving the Steelers tons. I really believe that Bell has a very low IQ. It would be interesting to have him tested. I'll bet he's under 90. 

(09-24-2018, 06:53 PM)Catmandude123 Wrote: If he signs (he has to agree to any trade) they will pay him 800k/game while throwing a grenade in the locker room. Is a 2020 third rounder plus all the drama worth 11 million. I would let him walk and prove the team won't be held hostage. He would be hard pressed to find a team that had that much salary cap room. If he went to a bad team he probably won't get that much production and then a huge contract is out of the question. BTW I hope he stays away until after the Bengals game.

(09-24-2018, 07:22 PM)Whatever Wrote: The Steelers can't release Bell, because he isn't under contract.  They can rescind the franchise tag tender and make him an UFA and get no compensation because the deadline for players qualifying for compensatory picks has passed.  They are currently trying to trade him, but that's an exercise in futility.  The team he gets traded to is only getting him for this year since they are prohibited from signing him to an extension until the start of the new league year.  Even then, if he's unwilling to play for the Steelers under the tender until the final 6 games, he's likely unwilling to play for any other team under those terms.

Bell's position has only been strengthened by the Steelers' coaches and players feeding into the drama and struggling out of the gate.  The more they lose, the more the Rooney's have to wonder if that third round compensatory pick is worth it.  They've already had to soften their no trade stance.  At this point, Bell may decide to sit the entire season and dare the Steelers to try and tag him next year.  The Steelers could decide to do that, obviously, but they would be cutting off their own nose at that point.  He's losing money by not playing, but he will lose a lot more if he plays and detonates a knee.  If he suffers a significant injury this year, he will have missed his only chance at ever getting that Big NFL payday.  Honestly, he only needs to average like $2 million more per year on a 4 year deal to make back what he's losing this year.

Anyone who thinks the Steelers dealt with this the best they could have is being a homer or delusional.  They made Bell a good offer last year, although the guaranteed money was crap.  Putting the exclusive franchise tag on him this year and preventing him from negotiating with other teams was a massive blunder.  The smart play after seeing what happened last year would have been to give Bell the standard franchise tag and given his agent permission to seek a trade.  Either Bell would've seen that the Steelers made the best offer and resigned or the Steelers could have worked out fair compensation and used the picks and cap space to improve the team.  Instead, the Steelers attempted to use the exclusive tag to strongarm Bell into a take it or leave it situation, and Bell called their bluff.  Now they have a ton of internal drama, a ton of cap dollars doing nothing to help their team, and are going to get worse compensation when he leaves.

(09-24-2018, 10:55 PM)StrictlyBiz Wrote: Release, rescind whatever. It achieves the same thing. I was using the same word as Catamandude whom I was also quoting. But if you think that pointing out insignificant differences in terminology somehow strengthens your weak argument, have at it.

And Bells position has been strengthened? Lol. Jeff Diamond completely disagrees and says the opposite. Bell is killing his value with his antics. But hey, what does he know? He’s only an ex VP and GM but I’m sure you think he’s a delusional homer. Oh, and btw, Bells contract offer had $33M in guaranteed money, not 10.

http://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/steelers-leveon-bell-holdout-fantasy-news-trade-rumors-update/1p34lelttymuo10kurrcc8c20i

http://www.sportingnews.com/us/author/218-jeff-diamond

(09-24-2018, 10:59 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: That last sentence is false.


Ian Rapoport
✔
@RapSheet
Mentioned yesterday the #Steelers final offer to RB Le’Veon Bell was 5 years, $70M. More context today: The fully guaranteed part was his signing bonus of just over $10M. He would’ve made $33M over the 1st two years — in a rolling guaranteed structure. $45M over the 1st 3 years.

(09-24-2018, 11:11 PM)StrictlyBiz Wrote: No $10M was the signing bonus, but he was guaranteed 33 over the first two years

(09-24-2018, 11:36 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: Gaurtunteed is different than “would have made”.

(09-24-2018, 11:59 PM)StrictlyBiz Wrote: “In a rolling GURANATEED structure”

(09-25-2018, 12:14 AM)rfaulk34 Wrote: So was it a simple lump sum each year or were there any stipulations?