Le’Veon Bell will move to the other side of one of the NFL’s top rivalries. After years with the Steelers, the former All-Pro running back agreed to terms with the Ravens on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Bell, whose Jets and Chiefs stints were far less successful, received a workout opportunity with the Ravens on Monday. Baltimore has lost J.K. Dobbins and Justice Hill for the season. The Ravens, who auditioned Bell and Devonta Freeman, will bring in the former to help fill the void.
Interestingly, this is a practice squad agreement. While Bell figures to be bumped up to Baltimore’s active roster, he will join the team’s 16-man taxi squad for the time being.
This will be Bell’s age-29 season, and he is not heading to Maryland with much momentum. The accomplished back’s four-year, $52.5MM deal quickly created a sunk cost for the Jets, who dropped him midway through the 2020 season. The Chiefs added Bell soon after and used him sporadically during the regular season’s stretch run. Kansas City then made Bell a healthy scratch in two of its three playoff games, including Super Bowl LV.
In Pittsburgh, Bell was one of the NFL’s best backs. He stampeded to first-team All-Pro acclaim in 2014 and ’17, helping the Steelers assemble one of the NFL’s best offenses for a lengthy stretch in the 2010s. Although Bell’s 2018 holdout decision and subsequent Pittsburgh exit essentially serves as a line of demarcation for his career, the Ravens present an interesting redemption opportunity.
Baltimore boasts the NFL’s top rushing attack and does not have any proven backs behind new starter Gus Edwards. Second-year UDFA Ty’Son Williams has impressed this offseason, but the losses of Dobbins and Hill created an immediate need for the team.
Like the fit for both
I love this pickup as a steelers fan, not only has this guy been absolute trash since sitting out that season , its funny to see him desperately taking a practice squad deal with the undrafted rookies and thinking about the 20 mil he lost not signing with thr steelers.
Its also hilarious that the Ravens are desperate enough to sign him, given their playoff hopes went straight down the tubes with Dobbins injury.
Don’t like the fit for the Ravens. Bell has never been team-centered which is exactly who the Ravens are.
Things change when you are 29 and running out of chances. He will be fine. Antonio Brown fits in TB just fine & he’s far worse.
Yea i agree. He wasn’t all that bad in KC
Except for the part where he called out andy reid
Because he was probably thinking he would atleast get some carries but really never was given a chance.. I think he was lead to believe he would atleast get some touches but wasn’t
He barely played, and when he did he wasnt good…
I would say fitting in… he was throwing punches in practice, more like fitting in with TB12 meaning as long as Tom is there AB will be. Don’t be fooled by him fitting in, he’s still having issues in Tampa.
I’m sure that AB is more than happy making league minimum after having his entire extension voided after molesting multiple women.
I’m happy for him he got a ring tho… he’ll need it when he’s bankrupt in less than 2 years and has to sell it on eBay to a steelers fan
The Steelers-Ravens games this season might have just gotten more interesting.
Bell won’t be there by the time those games are played.
Stugotz is psychic
Practice squad? Wow how the mighty have fallen. I’m guessing he was promised a roster spot for week 2.
Bell should have taken the Steelers offer and smiled. Right now he would be a hometown hero and get the idol welcome wherever he went. “Steeler 4 Life” is what I believe that time frame of team calls it….
Le’Veon Bell gave all of that up for James Conner.
Don’t forget he gave up a full years salary by sitting out his final season. Whoever has advised him has to be thinking about all the money they lost. Really a poster boy for bad decisions ruining a career
Bell has nothing left. He was a busy with the Jets and he could not contribute to the best offense in the NFL. He went unsigned all offseason and the Ravens rolled the dice with a practice squad contract. With Latavious Murray on the market now he would be the signing to make if they have the cap space.
He was a bust with the Jets
And the best offense in the NFL was Kansas City and contrary to what someone else in this thread said Bell did nothing for them.
Bell reminds me of Joey Galloway. Was never the same after holding out almost a whole season.
The good news for Bell is that if he can’t find a home with the Ravens, there’s a chance he could end up in the Orioles bullpen.
Now I like the fit Bell like AD prove you can still play