Steelers franchise-tagged running back Le’Veon Bell didn’t report earlier this week, meaning he won’t play in 2018 and will likely leave Pittsburgh next spring (the Steelers could still use the transition tender, but that wouldn’t bind Bell to Pittsburgh). Given that Bell will hit the open market, Mike Sando of ESPN.com (ESPN+ subscription required) asked NFL executives where Bell will play in 2019, and for how much. The Jets and Buccaneers are seemingly viewed as the favorites to land Bell, while clubs like the Packers and Redskins are viewed as under-the-radar candidates to add the former All-Pro. As far as price tag, execs believe Bell could ask for $16-17MM annually, but will ultimately fall in the $15MM/year range. Sando’s entire piece is well-worth a full read.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- Veteran edge defender Tank Carradine worked out for the Cowboys today, but Dallas doesn’t have any plans to sign the free agent, reports Todd Archer of ESPN.com. The Cowboys currently have five defensive linemen on their injury report, so they could be shorthanded when they face the Falcons on Sunday. Carradine, for his part, signed with the Raiders in the spring but was cut in early October after playing limited snaps. He’s worked out for four clubs since, but the 28-year-old — who appeared in 44 games with the 49ers from 2014-17 — has yet to find a new home.
- Cowboys center Travis Frederick hasn’t played this season after being diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome near the end of training camp, but he recently regained feeling in his hands, as David Moore of the Dallas Morning News writes. Frederick still doesn’t have any feeling in his feet, and it doesn’t sound as though he’s particularly close to returning to the field, but the news is certainly noteworthy nonetheless. “I mean the fact there is some light at the end of the tunnel is definitely a positive,” said Frederick. Without Frederick available, Joe Looney has taken over at the pivot for Dallas.
- Thing aren’t going well in Oakland, where the Raiders have posted a 1-8 record under head coach Jon Gruden, and the stress of a dismal 2018 campaign seemed to boil over following Sunday’s loss to the Chargers. “I gotta get the (expletive) outta here,” one anonymous veteran said in full view of reporters, per Matt Schneidman of the Mercury News. Per Football Outsiders, the Raiders have a 54.5% chance of securing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft and a 95% chance of receiving a top-five selection.
- Ravens cornerback Jaylen Hill has been on the physically unable to perform list all season after tearing his ACL last December, but the second-year defensive back returned to practice today, the club announced. Hill, who joins Maurice Canady as the second Baltimore cornerback to come back to practice this week, played in six games for the Ravens in 2017 after going undrafted out of Jacksonville State. Baltimore now opens a three-week window during which it must either activate Hill or leave him on PUP for the remainder of the year.
Please stop speculating the Jets will get Bell. I am hoping if no one mentions it, The Jets wont make a dumb mistake and sign him.
That raiders quote is funny. Wonder who said it..?
It was Jordy
Are you speculating or was that actually reported?
Doubtful on it being Jordy. He’s just happy to be getting a paycheck at this point.
If I had to guess I would say it’s Jared cook.
It was Gruden …
I think it was the entire team
‘Veteran’ doesn’t narrow it down at all, this team is built like a pair of Depends without the defense.
True, because at least Depends stop leakage, while the Raiders defense doesn’t stop anyone.
Check out the big brain on Brad!
Royal with cheese
Gruden is so overrated
It would be hilarious if Bell signed for only 15 mil after the Steelers were going to pay him 14 in their contract offer. My guess is Bell will ask up front if he can be limited to only 10 carries per game because he’s a delicate superstar. Or he’ll only sign with a primo QB so the passing game means he won’t have to run so much.
Stop. The reason Bell didn’t sign with the Steelers wasn’t because of the AAV, it was because very little of it was guaranteed.
All 14 million of the franchise tender would’ve been guaranteed. And he would be in the EXACT same position. So who’s the idiot?
The next team that signs him
How Earl Thomas doing?
He wouldn’t be in the exact same position if he developed an injury
Can we get a list of those reporters that were unable to identify this veteran Raider? If they are that incompetent I don’t want to waste time reading any rumor news they might provide to this site.
Good Gawd!!! We are spending 1.8 billion dollars on this state-of-art stadium in Las Vegas for a team run by a fool and composed of people who want out ASAP. There are few Raider signs or people willing to admit they support them here in Las Vegas. Actually, far too many people are asking why we are spending this much money for 8 games per year of second rate losing football while Nevada ranks dead last in education. I guess that is because a stripper with a great body can make over $100,000 easy….Hoping the Raiders leave Las Vegas in 3 years for San Diego or San Antonio……