The Le’Veon Bell saga could end at any time, or it could drag on indefinitely. The Steelers star running back has yet to report to the team and will miss Pittsburgh’s season opener against the Browns today. While there has been speculation that the Steelers could look to trade Bell, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports that the team has no interest in dealing him, and some around the league believe he could return before the end of the month (Twitter link).
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com agrees (via Twitter) that Pittsburgh will not look to trade Bell, though he does not offer a potential timeframe on Bell’s return. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, though, says that team brass is bracing for a lengthy absence of at least four to six weeks, and some within the organization do not believe that Bell will return prior to Week 10 (by returning for Week 10, Bell will be able to preserve his free agent status at the end of the season).
Bell’s teammates, meanwhile, appear perplexed by the situation. Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com tweets that Bell told the Steelers’ offensive lineman that he would be with the team this week, and when he failed to report, the O-lineman called and texted their teammate but could not get a straight answer from him.
2017 third-rounder James Conner will start for the Steelers in Bell’s absence, and while he will surely not be able to replicate Bell’s production, he has the ability to be a quality back in the league and should give the team enough of a threat out of the backfield to keep its offense humming.
I do not understand the thinking in not trading him. The Steelers will get nothing when he leaves and he is going to leave. Why not entertain trade offers because something is better than nothing.
Absolutely. They’ll get a compensation pick when he signs somewhere else but I’d at least listen to offers.
They won’t get a compensation pick for Bell. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year.
Which means they’ll get a compensation pick in 2020(or 2019) at likely the 3rd round level.
UN-restricted means there is NO compensation attached. It’s that simple
You’re wrong tsolid. Comp picks are determined by the quality of the free agent contract they sign with their new team. If the Steelers sign more free agents than they lose next year they will get most likely a 3rd round COMPENSATION pick. Comp picks occur at after the 32nd pick in the given round.
You never wondered why there are more picks in 3-7th rounds than teams?
Comp picks only account for finished contract players, not ones that are released with years remaining on their contract.
If they lose more free agents than they sign
His trade value is extremely low. He’s a lame duck who will look to cash in on the open market next year. The Steelers are expecting to contend so they won’t trade him to a contender and no team with a ton of cap space will trade much of anything with value when they could just sign him in eight months.
You are WRONG. Compensatory picks are handed out for the UNrestricted players a team loses. Google could be your friend if you let it.
Because they know they aren’t going anywhere without him. People can scream “they don’t need him” all they, but the Steelers know better. James Conner isn’t Bell, no matter coaches/fans try to dress it up
The only way they would consider trading bell is if Conner is 80% of what bell is and he put those numbers across 5 or 6 weeks.
You better go back and watch Conner’s game today. You obviously don’t know what youre talking about. The turnovers killed the Steelers today, not the running game.
No one should be asked to watch that game. It was an ugly mess with 23 penalties and inept play by both teams.
Because Bell will definitely be back by week 10. Steelers know they need Bell to have a chance at going all the way. They can survive up to 10 games without Bell. He’ll be back when it counts the most and he’s most needed. They simply can’t afford to deal him. With Bell they are a championship contender as always. Without Bell they aren’t.
Again, not true. Non-Steeler fans only see Bell’s numbers and don’t realize that he wouldn’t have them if it wasn’t for his OL. They plugged Conner in there today and his numbers were better than Bell’s same time a year ago.
Would the non-Steeler fans who think Bell is all that the Steelers have to win games kindly go somewhere else with their idiocy? Thanks. They didn’t win today, but that was bad coaching and turnovers that did that, not Bell’s absence.
I love that all those back stabbing crybabies on the Steelers look like fools now. They claimed Bell’s absence would hurt the team but as you stated it was the coaches and QB that cost them the win. Even had Bell played he couldn’t have compensated for their mistakes.
What was the bad coaching?? BEN lost that. He holds the ball too long, makes bad gambles at the wrong time. Yea… neither of you expert STEELER fans have the guts to say it was BEN’s fault. Cause it’s never BEN’s fault, right?
As a Steeler fan, I have to agree with you on Ben’s play. We cannot blame Haley for this one. It was an ugly game period and Ben cannot continue to throw into triple coverage for AB. Somebody has got to be open with three on AB.
Not a good start except the bright spot of Conner and TJ Watt.
In Fact Haley was still helping the Steelers with his play calling today! Especially with the ball at midfield right before halftime
I’d bet the Jets would give up a couple of 1’s (a-la Mack) for Bell right now. :p
Where do we send him?
I’m willing to bet a fringe playoff team will give up a first for him. 49ers lost Jerrick for the season. And Jimmy G needs some playmakers. Right now he has Pettis and he’s a rookie and will make some rookie mistakes like that slant route.
I’d trade him. You almost have to. The Saints lost a fumble with Ingram’s replacement today. The Bears, Packers, Raiders, 49ers, Patriots, just to name a few, could all use him this year for a draft pick and maybe a replacement.
In his first start, James Conner more or less replaced Bell’s production. If that continues…
At some point, the Steelers are going to wonder why they are offering $15 million a year to fill the same job.
At some point, other teams are going to wonder whether Bell is that good or if it’s the line/system in Pittsburgh.
So, if this is a “strategy” by him and his agent…well…