Adios in 2019 LeVeon.........

Those are excellent points and I mentioned in my last post that it is VERY difficult to criticize the way the FO handles business, but I really think they fucked this one up. They could’ve set the tone and the scale but they balked on their chance. Guess what... RBs will not get any cheaper. Book it!

 

Yes I do. I also believe Bell's was more than 10M considering he gets 14.5M by simply signing his tag. It makes no sense that they would only guarantee 10M so I don't find it credible.

Lord knows you love a shit show. Your participation level will probably triple.

Or maybe he won't because just like the Steelers teams can evaluate market value. Leveon Bell is not Todd Gurley in any shape or fashion. He's 2.5 years younger, has 600 less touches at the time of the team's investment and he's a threat to score every time he touches the ball.

Too many of you guys get caught up in the moment and put guys in the hall of fame long before they've earned those marks. Leveon Bell is a really good football player but there have been dozens of guys that have done what Bell has done early in the career and then fall off the cliff when their body succombs to injury. Bell has been a Steeler for 5 years and touched the ball 1500 times to the tune of:

1229 rushes, 5,336 yards (4.3), 312 rec, 2.660 yards 42 TDs

People talk about him historically because he was a 21 year old rookie and got off to a quick start but look at what some other guys did historically:

Ahman Green 5 seasons (age 23-27)
1467 rushes, 6,848 yards (4.7), 282 rec, 2,188 yards 61 TDs - done at age 27

Clinton Portis 7 seasons (age 21-27)
2052 rushes, 9.202 yards (4.5), 233 rec, 1,906 yards 76 TDs - done at 27

Curt Warner 6 seasons (age 22-27)
1455 rushes, 6,074 yards (4.2), 170 rec, 1,314 yards 58 TDs - done at 27

Maurice Jones Drew 6 seasons (age 22-27)
1584 rushes 6,854 yards (4.3), 278 rec, 2,473 yards 72 TDs - done at 27

Arian Foster 5 seasons (age 24-28)
1337 rushes, 6,052 yards (4.5), 219 rec, 1948 yards 62 TDs - done at 28

These guys were considered among the best RBs in the NFL when they were in their prime. None of them are going to the hall of fame but all outproduced Bell. And they all have one thing in common. All of them would have wrecked the Steelers salary cap had they paid them what Bell wants at age 26 with 1,500 touches already on his body. Does it mean Bell is going to end up in the same boat? Who knows? But it's possible and that possibility means you have to proceed with caution - as the Steelers did by not guaranteeing a deal that would tie Bell to them financially until the age of 30.

 

Yes I do. I also believe Bell's was more than 10M considering he gets 14.5M by simply signing his tag. It makes no sense that they would only guarantee 10M so I don't find it credible.

Lord knows you love a shit show. Your participation level will probably triple.

Or maybe he won't because just like the Steelers OTHER teams can evaluate market value. Leveon Bell is not Todd Gurley in any shape or fashion. He's 2.5 years younger, has 600 less touches at the time of the team's investment and he's a threat to score every time he touches the ball.

Too many of you guys get caught up in the moment and put guys in the hall of fame long before they've earned those marks. Leveon Bell is a really good football player but there have been dozens of guys that have done what Bell has done early in the career and then fall off the cliff when their body succombs to injury. Bell has been a Steeler for 5 years and touched the ball 1500 times to the tune of:

1229 rushes, 5,336 yards (4.3), 312 rec, 2.660 yards 42 TDs

People talk about him historically because he was a 21 year old rookie and got off to a quick start but look at what some other guys did historically:

Ahman Green 5 seasons (age 23-27)
1467 rushes, 6,848 yards (4.7), 282 rec, 2,188 yards 61 TDs - done at age 27

Clinton Portis 7 seasons (age 21-27)
2052 rushes, 9.202 yards (4.5), 233 rec, 1,906 yards 76 TDs - done at 27

Curt Warner 6 seasons (age 22-27)
1455 rushes, 6,074 yards (4.2), 170 rec, 1,314 yards 58 TDs - done at 27

Maurice Jones Drew 6 seasons (age 22-27)
1584 rushes 6,854 yards (4.3), 278 rec, 2,473 yards 72 TDs - done at 27

Arian Foster 5 seasons (age 24-28)
1337 rushes, 6,052 yards (4.5), 219 rec, 1948 yards 62 TDs - done at 28

These guys were considered among the best RBs in the NFL when they were in their prime. None of them are going to the hall of fame but all outproduced Bell. And they all have one thing in common. All of them would have wrecked the Steelers salary cap had they paid them what Bell wants at age 26 with 1,500 touches already on his body. Does it mean Bell is going to end up in the same boat? Who knows? But it's possible and that possibility means you have to proceed with caution - as the Steelers did by not guaranteeing a deal that would tie Bell to them financially until the age of 30.

 

Maybe the Steelers just don't value that position as much as other teams. I am fine with that if so. OL has more to do with successful running game anyways and RBs are frequently hurt. See ya Bell ! There's the door friend!!!! -

 

And there you have it.........$45 million "guaranteed".......hardly. There are $22.5 million in "roster bonuses" for four consecutive years for Gurley 2020-2023. There is also individual/team performance escalators.

Bottom line: Pitt made Bell a fair offer...........AGAIN.......and he turned it down. His market might be slightly better than Gurley right now, but two years from now when Gurley starts making $15 million/yr and Leveon has 700-800 more touches and is 2 years closer to age 30........Gurley will be square in his prime and WORTH more.

The only "truly guaranteed" is his signing bonus and first year base salary ($21.95 million). Now some of it is structured to guarantee against injury a year early, meaning the following year's base salary becomes guaranteed on the first day of the previous league year, and that's probably the trade off for having him play for "MODEST" amounts in 2018 and 2019, but if you want to look at it this way, Gurley will average a little over $12 million these next 6 years as follows:

2018 (restructured) - $950k base (fully guaranteed), $6.278 prorated. Total cap number $7.228 mil
2019 (restructured 5th year) - $5.0 mil base (guaranteed against injury only), $4.2 mil prorated. Total cap number $9.2 mil
2020 - $5.5 mil base (guaranteed against injury only), $4.2 mil prorated, $7.55 mil roster bonus. Total cap number $17.25 mi, Rams could actually cut him prior to this first year and SAVE $3.8 million.
2021 - $4.0 mil base, $4.2 mil prorated, $5.0 mil roster bonus. Total cap number $16.8 mil. Rams could cut him prior to year and save $4.8 million.
2022 - $12.0 mil base, $4.2 mil prorated, $1.0 mil roster bonus. Total cap number $17.8 mil. Rams could cut him prior to year (at age 27) and save $9.6 mil.
2023 - $5.5 mil base, $5.0 mil roster bonus. Total cap number $10.5 mil, Rams can save all of it buy cutting him.

Basically the Rams are only under water with Gurley for the next 3 years, not that I think they would have ANY thought of releasing him during this period of time, unless something extraordinary happens. And each year after 2020, the leverage grows in the Rams favor. I have no doubt that Pitt offered a similar deal to Bell, perhaps with a lower up front signing bonus (maybe $15 mil), but likely higher base salaries. But again, if Pitt was offering him $45 mil total the first three years of the deal, he was going to get it, however you want to define "guaranteed". They've never cut anyone of note on any long term deal until after 3 years.

 

And it's not even 15M in new money. It was 4yrs, 57.5M. All total Gurley just signed a 6yr, 69.4M contract - 11.6M per season. Bell turned down 14M per.

 

Teams are seeing where RB contracts are going and getting ahead of the curve.

 

Its not just running backs, Gid. (Unless you're a punter or Long Snapper)

 

Well Pitt was WAY AHEAD of the curve in their offer to Bell then. For those in this forum and anywhere else that want to point a finger at someone or assess blame as to why 2018 will be Bell's final year as a Steeler, they can point the finger primarily at Bell. Pitt made MORE than a fair offer to him, if indeed what is reported was what is offered. He may be EQUAL or slightly better in terms of valuation compared to Gurley RIGHT NOW and maybe next year...........but by the time 2020 rolls around, Gurley will likely be MORE VALUABLE as a player than Bell (along with maybe Elliott), yet making "only" $15 mil per year............an amount Bell just turned down to remain with a pretty good team.

 

Bell is greedy, let’s not try to sugar coat that. Maybe if some other good RBs get extended this offseason, Bell will see what they are getting and decide the Steelers are offering better. Sign with us next offseason and everything will be fine. But then again he’s greedy.

 

No because his EGO will prevent him from coming back to Pitt to see if they can match an offer, or consider resigning with them for maybe slightly less than he is offered elsewhere. I think Beach and others are right. I don't think he has the $15 mil per year he wants waiting for him next March. Not after another 300-400 touches this year, and turning 27 years old next Feb. No team is gonna want to pay him $15 mil/year THROUGH age 30. It might average that, but it will be structured in a way that a team can jump ship with him after 2-3 years...............just like MOST long term deal contracts are.

 

Here's a perspective that I think a lot of people seem to be missing:

Why wouldn't he take less money elsewhere? He's been worked into the ground so egregiously that his actual value as an employee has been lessened ("He's had so many touches"). You want me to re-sign with the Steelers? You bet your ass I want that team to pay me the most money. If he goes somewhere else, he's just not likely to see as much wear-and-tear as he has in Pitt. If you're gonna lean on the guy harder than any other team leans on any one RB, you better pay him accordingly.

 

Bell is worked hard, but he keeps begging for more touches.

 

Workhorse 3-down backs that don't come off the field and can carry an offense at times are precious commodities. When you have one, you use them....you don't conserve them for the long haul. You want the ball in the hands of your best players as much as you can.

And if a team doesn't plan on using Bell in a fashion in which Pitt has since 2014, with 300-400 carries/catches per year, which he EXCELS AT BTW.....why on earth would they offer him $15 mil per season?

And Pitt HAS PAID him accordingly. Last year he made 50% more than the next highest paid (Freeman) at his position, this year he will be paid almost 75% more (Freeman/McCoy again)......next year in 2020 he will likely be paid 50% more than the next highest (Gurley) yet again.

 

Bell will be gone after this season and most of us are ok with that but let’s talk about this upcoming season, I have no doubt he will try to play his best during the regular season to keep his stock value up but what about the playoffs (if they make it) I can see him dogging it in the playoffs to preserve his health. Thoughts?

 

No. Bell is a competitor, he would never hold back. If he played great and got SB MVP he would be much closer to writing the contract he wants.

 

Baring something insane happening in game 1 of this next season Bell will eclipse 8000 yards from scrimmage. It will be his 63rd game and he will become the fastest player to 8000 besting current record holder Eric Dickerson by 1 game.

 

Yeah... bUt He’S sTiLl NoT wOrTh $15M/yR//s

 

Exactly.....no running back in 2018 is. Gurley MIGHT be worth it in 2020, but we'll see.....and we'll see how the Rams look having (likely) three mega contracts on their roster in Donald, Gurley, and Goeff all counting nearly $20 mil toward the cap each year.

 

This article makes me wanna say Adios even more

https://www.steelersdepot.com/2018/...king-on-building-hand-strength-at-strip-club/

While our star QB has stayed out of compromising positions for years now and by all appearances built an awesome family for himself, our star RB is making me wish my daughter hadn't picked his jersey lol

PS the new rap album taking focus away from his profession is as dumb as what he was doing in the strip club with all the money on the floor etc. Just my opinion but I have been known to be a bit reactionary at times so sorry if this is a nothing burger that I am letting annoy me for no reason.