Although Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell recently suggested through song that he’s worth $15MM annually, there’s almost no chance that he’d earn that salary on the open market. Adrian Peterson is currently the highest-paid running back on an average annual basis at $14MM, while LeSean McCoy, at roughly $8MM per season, is second. Bell, who would have to redefine the running back market in order to land $15MM, walked back his comments while speaking with James Walker of ESPN.com today.
“I’m not a real greedy guy. I don’t play football just for money or things like that,” said Bell, while also reiterating that he’ll be ready for training camp after spending the offseason recovering from a MCL/PCL injury. “I just want to be valued. Wherever it is — whether its $15 million or lower or higher, whatever it is – I think we will get to an agreement eventually. “Obviously, I want to be a Steeler for my whole life. My family grew up Pittsburgh Steelers fans, and it’s crazy I even got drafted there. So I want to be with them and hopefully we’ll reach an agreement. But that will take place once that time come.”
Here’s a few more items from the AFC North:
- Former first-round pick Barkevious Mingo isn’t a lock to earn a spot on the Browns‘ roster, according to Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com, who writes that it’s difficult to see how Mingo fits among Cleveland’s linebacking corps. I reached the same conclusion in our recent review of the Browns’ offseason, noting that Mingo has essentially become a glorified special teams player. Cleveland has already declined Mingo’s fifth-year option for 2017, meaning he’ll become a free agent after the upcoming season, but with Nate Orchard, Paul Kruger, and potentially Joe Schobert ahead of him on the depth chart, Mingo could hit the open market as soon as this summer.
- The Browns’ safety room will have a completely different in makeup this season now that 2015 starters Tashaun Gipson and Donte Whitner are gone, per Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com. With Gipson in Jacksonville and Whitner still looking for work as a free agent, Cleveland will turn to Ibraheim Campbell and Jordan Poyer as starters, as Roster Resource shows. But the club has a few more interesting options who could eventually factor into the secondary picture, including Rahim Moore, Don Jones, Sean Baker, Derrick Kindred, and A.J. Stamps. Moore, notably, looks like a strong option to steal snaps down the road, as he has 54 career starts under his belt.
- Earlier this afternoon, Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tubin spoke on a number of topics, including whether Cincinnati might add a veteran free agent, whether his club has spoken with receiver Anquan Boldin, and Tobin’s own future with the Bengals.