As expected, the Steelers have hit Le’Veon Bell with the franchise tag. The move will prevent the running back from exploring unrestricted free agency while giving the two parties until July to hammer out a long-term deal. 
On Monday, Bell indicated that he was still far apart with the Steelers on contract negotiations. He also said that his threat of retirement from January was legitimate and still in play.
The Steelers, ostensibly, are willing to make Bell the league’s highest-paid running back with a deal that tops Devonta Freeman‘s $8.25MM average yearly salary. Bell, meanwhile, wants a contract that reflects his value not only as a rusher, but as a receiver.
Bell certainly has a case. In 2017, he had 85 catches and 655 yards with two receiving touchdowns. That didn’t detract much from his rushing totals, either. Bell racked up 1,291 yards and nine rushing TDs off of a league-high 321 carries in 2017.
The Steelers now find themselves in a very similar position as last season. They have cuffed Bell with a one-year placeholder, this time at a 20% increase, amounting to $14.544MM. Bell did not take kindly to the move last summer and waited until just before the season to ink his tender. The 26-year-old could do the same this year or even ramp up the retirement talk.
If Bell holds out, the Steelers will not be without leverage. If Bell plays games, the Steelers could threaten to relinquish the tag late in the offseason and leave him on the curb after most of the league’s cap room has already been spoken for.
But….but….I thought Maurkice Pouncey was going to come to his wittle buddy’s wescue?
Please retire and make it an even easier path to the super bowl -Pats fan
Retiring is out of the question. Only a fool would not sign the tender for the $14.554MM tender. He could not “retire” and sit out the year because the Steelers still have his rights. He can’t walk till the Steelers tell him he can walk.
How is it out of the question? Have you not heard of Calvin Johnson? Left millions of dollars in his prime to retire, not the same circumstances but it’s not unheard of. I’m 100% on Bell’s side he’s a top 5/10 offensive player deserves to be paid as such
Only thing is, he wants the money too. He is trying to get a top $$ deal or force his way out of Pittsburgh. He was going to retire last year too. I could see him retire if he were to have been in the league as long as Megatron was but I do not think he will retire for good. I meant that him “retiring” as means to get out of Pittsburgh and go on the open market for bigger bucks will not work because the Steelers would hold his rights if he does retire and tries to come back.
He wants top money to help set the market for future RB deals. Him taking a big deal will help Gurley, David Johnson, and any other dynamic RB that gets close to free agency. I think he wants to stay in Pittsburgh, but he also wants to be paid what he thinks he is worth.
Steelers need to pay the man. most carries and 10th in receptions, he is arguably the best offensive weapon in the league.
They are trying to pay the man but the man wants a contract that has never been offered to a player before for the amount that is exceedingly high. He wants both RB money and WR money combined. They do not have room under the cap to offer such a deal with the contracts that they already have. They would have to start cutting guys that would really weaken the team if they pay out a huge contract to Bell.
He doesn’t want RB and WR money combined. He’s seeking around $15m a year which is what WR1s get paid as RBs get paid far less than WRs do. Based on the numbers he accumulates, Bell is basically a RB1 and WR1 (obviously Antonio Brown is the true WR1 on the team, but Bell’s numbers are in line with other WR1s/high end WR2s around the league). Unless his demands have significantly changed, he’s not looking for a deal around $20m AAV (which would roughly be the combined rate for a WR1 and RB1). He just wants to be paid like a WR1. Given his role on the team and the amount of touches he’ll usually get in a game, his asking price isn’t unreasonable.
AGREED
It seems like we have an obsession with taking sides. His contract demands aren’t necessarily unreasonable as I’m sure he’ll get what he wants in the open market. But let’s not act like the Steelers offer was unreasonable either. Approximately 12-13 millions a year (as it was reported) is destroying the previous numbers running backs were getting.
Steelers aren’t willing to go to 15 million so what are you going to do? Neither party is at fault here
July? Plenty of time to hammer out a deal.
For anyone who dont think he can retire.
Do you not think he has enough money in his wallet.. If he wants out believe this he can get out!!!!
Not arguing that he could get out if i wanted to. I just do not think he truly wants to at this point in his career. Now, if it were, say 3 or 4 years from now and he makes the $14.544 million this year and say an average of $15 million/year the next two, he will have almost 45 million more reasons to really consider retiring then.