“I want to do it”

Good

 

I don't even think he is the best running back in the NFL (or the best running back at catching passes for that matter - check the stats and that appears to be a given) and he has an injury history and suspension history....yet he wants to be paid a highly unrealistic amount of money like he is some mythical hybrid species of top running back and top receiver. I am just really glad he will be gone soon. His poor attitude and the drama that circles around him every year will not be missed.

Regarding the eventual contract he signs with another team - I never underestimate some of the teams' propensity in this league to pay a player an unrealistic amount of money. He will likely get something more in the vicinity of what he wants money-wise, then he will end up having the same realizations that come with that.

The only way I see this going differently than described above is if nobody is willing to pay him close to what he wants and he ends up signing with some hated team like the NE Patriots for less than we just offered him. How disgusting to think about that.

It will be nice to hear the real feelings about him from teammates, like Beach said, once he is finally gone.

 

It could obviously be about greed, but as others have mentioned, it could also be about furthering the cause of the position itself.

(non franchise tag)
WR - top paid $17M/year (Antonio Brown) 21 WRs make more than highest paid RBs, you have to go to the 9th/10th to get to the $14M/yr offered to Bell
TE - top paid $10M/year (Jimmy Graham)
RB - top paid $8.25M

Are RBs a dime a dozen?

Top WRs in 2017:
There were 13 1,000 yard receivers
There were 2 double digit TD receivers

Top 2:
1378 receiving, 13 TDs
1533 receiving, 9 TDs

Top RBs in 2017:
There were 9 1,000 yard backs
There were 2 double digit TD backs

Top 2:
1305 rushing, 13 TDs
1325 rushing, 8 TDs


On the surface, they look pretty similar in production...

Then you take overall production;

2017 Non QB Combined yards per game:
139.5 yds/game
129.7 yds/game

Both RBs...the closest wide receiver was 109.5 yards per game and would have been 6th on the list after 5 RBs, then you have to go 5 more RBs before you hit the next WR.

RBs, a dime a dozen...well, maybe, but the best are the best for a reason. They are also more productive than any of the WRs.

 

RBs touch the ball a lot more than WRs. So why do they make half the money?

 

Longevity would be my answer. WRs tend to have more elite years and gain more yards. Not necessarily the case for RBs like Bell, Gurley and Johnson but those guys are the exceptions, not your average RB.

 

And they should be paid WAY above the average RB salary. Face it, RBs are getting fucked in the NFL. Bell is and would be as important as ANY WR1 in the NFL no matter what team he plays for. He’s already equally as important as the number 1 WR in the league (same team).

 

Here's the thing..Even the top WRs in the league average 35% of the passing game receiving yards for their respective teams...The top RBs, make up 70% of their teams running yardage. That's where it gets lost for me. The "excuse" is that RBs are a dime a dozen and they can make up production with RB by committee...well, that's exactly what they have been doing with receivers for years, but the top tier are getting paid...why not the same for the top tier RBs?

 

Hard to agree with this point when you look at what 32 year old DeAngelo Williams did in this offense. We've seen this kind of thing before. Very good player surrounded by elite talent gets elevated to super star status. Many of those guys have failed when moving on to other places as THE man.

 

Is it coincidence that Browns best seasons have been since Bell has been here? If you take Bell out of the offense it will suffer. When teams are stopping the running game other RBs become worthless in our offense if we are forced to pass. Bell is still good to go in the passing game. To have a good offense we need a RB who strikes fear in the passing game.

 

Scarcity. When you're grasping at straws trying to find a legitimate, game-breaking WR, you pay them once they're found. If you feel confident you can find an equal replacement at RB in the middle rounds of the draft... they don't get paid.

 

Have you watched the Steelers without Bell? There's been plenty of opportunity to do so. The Steelers opened the 2016 season with Bell on a 3 game suspension. AB had 24 rec, 305 yards and 3 TDs. AB opened the 2015 season without Bell (suspension again) and had 18 rec, 328yds and 2 TDs in the first two games. Bell then missed the last 8 games of that season and AB had 84 rec, 1116yds and 7 TDs. And then in the playoff game against Cincy in '15 he had 7 for 119.

So during the '15/'16 seasons Bell missed 14 games. Brown had 133rec, 1868yds and 12 TDs - 14 games.

p.s. In those 14 games the Steelers averaged 28.7 points per game.

p.p.s. In the 6 games Bell played in in 2015 the Steelers averaged 17.3 points per game.

p.p.p.s. In the 15 games Bell played in in 2016 the Steelers averaged 24.8 points per game.

 

Well then, we need to get used to not having him after this season.

 

I'm not worried. The only person that has ever stopped AB is Michael Vick.

 

I got a super early start in the a.m. but wanted to stop in. No intention of writing, just a quick read and bed ... but this...

This was worth the read and a quick note ... ... not only correct, but priceless ...

 

The Steelers will be fine without Bell, put it in the books.

 

It’s hard to agree with ^this^ when you consider the fact that there are 20+ WRs in the NFL that “deserve” more money than LVB. Bell is a better receiver than probably half of that list.

 

Bell couldn't make a team as a WR. That narrative is so blatantly false.

 

And Jimmy Smith















Yeah, I had to.......

 

Not saying he could be a wideout. Look at his receiving production vs WR #11-20 and tell me he doesn’t measure up. For point of reference, DeAndre Hopkins is #10. Would ANY of you trade for Hopkins if you had Bell?
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Didn’t think so.

Now with Gurley getting paid (TODAY), the LVB value debate gets a little more interesting.

 

I would take Hopkins for Bell. We could still have a running game, but no defense could stop AB , Hopkins, JuJu & Washington.