The Steelers can technically net a compensatory draft pick by revoking Le’Veon Bell‘s tag and losing him to another team, but their previous free agency signings would cancel out the loss of the running back, as Mike Florio of PFT writes. 
The Steelers didn’t have the splashiest offseason out there, but they did sign safety Morgan Burnett and linebacker Jon Bostic while losing only tackle Chris Hubbard – all of whom count in the formula. Therefore, if there were to lose Bell right now, it wouldn’t do anything to help their case in terms of 2019 draft picks.
On the other hand, losing Bell as a free agent next year would make a positive mark on their 2020 comp pick formula, provided that they do not add too many compensatory free agents.
So, the Steelers are likely still using a 2020 third-round pick as a reference point in trade talks and would not accept anything less than that in a deal. A 2019 third-round pick could convince them to pull the trigger on a trade, since it carries a higher value and would give them less to worry about when it comes to the 2020 comp formula.
There’s no shortage of teams that would like to land Bell, but any club acquiring him via trade would have to wait until after the season to negotiate a long-term deal. That, coupled with the fact that Bell wants to shatter the market for running backs, will limit the Steelers’ potential return. Still, the Jets have already phoned the Steelers, and other clubs have surely opened up trade talks with GM Kevin Colbert.
Why would the Steelers release him this year knowing he could pull a Blunt or Harrison and sign cheap with the Pats just to get back at them?
No indications that Bell will sign cheap anywhere.
Because there’s zero % chance Bell signs for cheap…
I guess youre just arriving home from ur trip to Mars, but Bell wont play for 14.5Mil this year, why would he sign for cheap?
If hes released, he’ll sign for 15M+ and long term.
Also, i wouldnt mind 1st rnd pick from Browns if they trade him..
Should be top-20.. Steelers still win division in the long run, Browns still fall apart and lose Bell next year.. Lets do it Colbert if theyre willing to overpay.
On what planet, speaking of Mars, would the Browns give the Steelers a first round pick? Dream on.
The planet where they only get him if they offer 2 rounds earlier than everyone else..
Have to admit that proposal should be tempting to them.. You can have your biggest rivals arguably best player for your 1st rnd pick,, or you can never have a chance at Bell ever and he goes to the jets etc for 2nd or 3rd.
That planet does exist dreamer.
Browns miss playoffs with Bell? You also think Dolphins are going 12-4? Browns with Bell makes wild card. That defense alone is playoff worthy. I’m not riding Baker. I just think with the addition of Bell they make it.
You must be new to following the Browns..
Hugh Jackman could coach these Browns and Bell to the playoffs. Hard to screw that up.
I was in agreement with you up until you said the browns should trade a 1st round pick for Bell… they signed Hyde, extended Duke and then used a 2nd round pick on Chubb. Is bell better than all of them, yes, of course. But the need is not there.
As a Browns fan that is absolutely the dumbest idea I’ll read all day
So there is a chance Cleveland does it?
So far none of these posts actually make sense from a football perspective. Bell can’t resign till the end of the season, why would anyone give up a first round pick without knowing if they can resign him or not. I imagine a third round pick will ultimately be what they get back if they do indeed trade him. Same thing they would get by letting him walk in fa. Why would any team move a first or second rounder only for them too also cough up crazy money, when they can just wait and are in the same boat? Offer a third and hope it gets it done and talk contract next offseason.
If Bell continues his ways, he will eventually end up like Colin Kaepernick where because of his attitude, no one will want him
Because Kap has the same ability as Bell…
Well, according to some he’s still a top 5 QB. There are people who believe crazier things.
Wooo arguing with strangers on the internet about things no one has any real idea of what’s going on. America baby!!
I love lamp.
How did we survive 10 years ago.
They can franchise him again next season. If I’m the Steelers, I’m not letting him go for anything less than a second round pick, or maybe two in the third round.
The current double dip with player tagging is doomed. Other star players will hold out just as Bell has done until they force the owners to modify that policy.
The cost for a 3rd tag is way too much. If Washington wasn’t going to tag Cousins a 3rd time no way does a team tag a non quarterback
If I were the Steelers, I would trade him at the deadline, and to a team that I don’t have to play the rest if the year.
So in this scenario that would be anyone in the NFC playoff race not on their regular season schedule. As it stands I don’t see the Steelers as a team that will make a strong push this year. I can’t believe I’m thinking that the Rams and Chiefs may actually be the top 2 teams this year. I mean the Chiefs for Pete’s sake! I was pretty confident the Rams could be really good but I thought the Chiefs were still a year away from needing to be taken really seriously but it appears they have arrived. Ah well still sucks being a Lions fan. At least my Loons are consistent.
Also, is a 2nd or 3rd round pick worth a rental?
I would think the intent will be to sign him long term if a pick that high is given.
Imagine him in Kyle Shannahan’s offense…
My understanding is that Bell can’t be franchised again next year if he signs his tender at some point this year
If that is the case the Steelers should not allow him to sign his tender and franchise him again next year then trade him
Yeah they can’t force him to not sign it. He has until week 10 to do so. I believe They can still franchise him but I think a 3rd tag would be over $20 million and there is no way the Steelers take that risk. He may actually sign that one the day before camp opens.
Send him packing!!!
So a couple of things….
1. Bell can still sign his tender and report by week 10 I believe.
2. Any team that trades for him can’t sign him to an extension until the offseason. The deadline for extending a player that is tagged has passed. If he is traded, he can sign the tender but he has to wait until the offseason for an extension. Huge risk for a team to add essentially a rental.
3. His trade value has a diminishing return. The longer the Steelers wait, the less they can get and the more limited trade partners become as teams fall out of the playoff race.
4. They’re already limited because any team trading for him has to have the remaining value of his franchise tag available under the salary cap. Right now that is just over $11M and there are only a handful of teams that have that and of those not all are in a position of being able to win now.
At the end of the day I can see a trade happening but the Steelers can’t count on a 3rd round comp pick valuation. If they are offered a 4th it may become their best option. It’s an unfortunate reality and it could prove to be a tough pill to swallow.