Bell doesn’t rejoin the Squealers

[Whatever]

(09-06-2018, 04:49 PM)StrictlyBiz Wrote: Using your logic, everyone has business reasons to sandbag. Why should any player do anything above and beyond the minimum that would risk injury and impact your next payday? What about AJ Green? Perfect example. Demand a redo now and when the Bengals don't do it, sit out until week 10. Same next year, except reject every offer they throw at you, then sit 10 weeks, then hit FA in 2020 with less wear and tear on his body.

The mentality of the NFL is that you give it your all 100% of the time, not only for yourself, but for your teammates as well. This is a league where guys take head shots and try to stay in. They lie about how they feel and about symptoms in order to keep going. The NFL has spotters to watch over guys on the field and to physically drag them off when they're injured in order to save them from themselves. And Bell is admitting that he's going to not give 100% this season? That shit isn't going to fly. What his agent said yesterday has ruined his reputation in the league amongst the vast majority of the players, I guarantee it. 

Don't believe me? Read this. And Cutler actually had a sprained ACL.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/584342-jay-cutler-deserves-the-criticism-after-quitting-during-the-nfc-championship

At this point it's no longer about the money to anyone but Bell. Other players will have your back on this as long as you do it on your own time and don't affect them getting their money. And Bell not showing up until after the season starts cojuld directly affect them getting theirs. Now he's potentially F'ing with their wallet. 

Well, for one, AJ is actually under contract.  If he sits, he can be fined by the team.  For another, he's already banked over $67 million for his career.  He's even said himself when asked about his next contract "I'm set for life, so I'm not really worried about it right now."  Green has made $67 million over 7 seasons, which averages out to about $9.5 million per season.  Bell has made just over $16 million over 5 years for an average of $3.2 million a year, the vast majority of that coming off of last year's franchise tag tender.  Bell would certainly have more justification to hold out for more money than Green.  Again, Green is under contract.  Bell is not.  Green signed a deal that was negotiated in good faith that he was happy with when he signed.  Bell essentially has a take it or leave it offer on the table from the Steelers that he has chosen not to sign because he is not happy with it.

Make no mistake, both sides are playing the system to their respective advantages.  It was very clear early in Bell's career that he was drastically underpaid on his rookie contract.  The Steelers chose not to address that after his third year, which was their best chance at get a team friendly deal done.  The following year, they gave Antonio Brown his second extension and couldn't agree to terms with Bell.  Issue there is Bell puts up more yards and TD's than Brown, but Brown has gotten two extensions because of the position he plays.  They tagged him again this year even though they knew there was no chance of a long term deal to try and milk one more playoff run out of the 3 B's.  Bell is working the system to his benefit by waiting to sign so he doesn't get as much wear and tear and can possibly force the tender to be rescinded.

The thing people don't seem to get is Bell is no more a Pittsburgh Steeler right now than any other unsigned NFL player.  He's not under contract, and he doesn't want to play there.  By this "always give 100%" logic, they would be livid at players skipping OTA's and training camp during a holdout.  They would be mad about guys getting "veterans' rest" at practice.  The only guys who could potentially be mad at Bell about money are guys who have playoff performance incentives in their contracts, and that's not Ramon Foster.  If anything, Bell not signing until late in the season frees up more money for other guys on the roster unless the Steelers just pocket it.