“I want to do it”

21.95M fully guaranteed? Really? Not 45M? Who would have guessed?

 

Also for those scoring at home...

Gurley = Smart

Bell = Not Smart

 

Is the $21M signing bonus not guaranteed (up front) money? I know it's pro-rated for salary cap reasons, but is it not guaranteed?

Even though, it would still be $43M, not $45M, thus one aspect of the debate settled.
BB 1
FH 0

 

Read my friend. Maine gave you the goods.

 

Lmao

 

^^^this last sentence^^^
FULLY agree with it. If you're not going to pay him market value (remains to be seen), get the best deal possible in a trade. Had the Steelers just out-right said, "Bell is officially on the market, and we're accepting offers", I would've been much happier about that versus how this went down.

Gurley won. Bell won (check out his next contract). Pittsburgh Steelers lost.

 

With or without Bell they’re not winning any SBs anytime soon if that defense doesn’t vastly improve. Thank you.

 

Linebacker depth is an issue. The secondary needs to gel, something they have yet to do. There is cause for concern with this defense.

 

I bet you're wrong. Bell turned down a true 14M per season. Gurley signed for 6 years at 11.6M per season. Bell's not getting 14M per year next year.

 

It feels like to me that the Rams FO ran their contract to Gurley almost immediately (after LB turned ours down) like an offense runs to the line of scrimmage to get a snap off before the red flag has a chance to be thrown.

The difference is Gurley did have time to throw the red flag, and didn’t. It feels like he just thumbed his nose at the antics of “I’m gonna set the bar for all future running backs” and professionally ran the numbers in his best interest, and he didn’t run his mouth. How mature, how refreshing how smart and he's almost 3 years young than rap guy with an apparent axe to grind on FO and fans.

Gurley settles for 12M approx over 6 years to be very well paid, stay with the team, offense and fan base that loves him and has security in monetary and professional vocation, simultaneously.

Again…

Gurley = smart

Bell = not smart

It really isn’t going to be easy for me to root for #26 this season no matter how well he does because it’s all about him. Wonder how his team mates will perceive his 2018 season. I know they always say you gotta take care of your own business, but there has to be something lingering in the dark shadows of your mind that says he’s not really one of us (more on a loaner basis) much longer, not playing for his brothers, for team.

I hope the Oline blocks better for him that ever before in his career, if, for no other reason he will better judge how much harder he has to work and how much more, physically, he has to pay for that (maybe) extra money behind an inferior line. That won’t be easy tread considering how much has already been laid, which should say something about how much people will be willing to pay... while he could have been raking in 14M from the Black-n-Gold.

I wish him the best in 2018 because I do want #7, but then I want him gone. I’ll be more excited for his replacement than I could ever have expected to be, considering the talent loss we will suffer, just because of he way he has handled himself through negotiations these last two years. I truly believe this was the ploy of his from the beginning. Get as much cash as possible via the tags and then 4 or more year mega deal for all that cash later. He has/had no regard for his team or fans.

It has been, from the git, all about him. Rap me something that rhymes with dollar signs Leveon, I know it’s in you. It feels like it’s all that’s in you.

 

I didn’t know how much you got laid was figured into your contract.

 

Or.... He collects his $21M in year one (three of his old contract, however you want to look at it) Then in 2020 he decides to pull a Julio Jones and want it reworked again.

Here's the thing, some of you are giving Gurley credit for taking "less" to get this done. The reality is, he is getting paid more under his rookie deal. Le'Veon played out his entire rookie contract. He didn't get a $21M check in year 3 of that deal from a signing bonus.

Bell WITH his $14.544 M in 2018 will have made $30.512M over his first 6 seasons...Gurley, who just got handed a $21M check will have pocketed a couple million more than that entering his 4th season...

It's all about the structure, I get that, but Bell has been a bell cow when available...he was vastly underpaid until this year, and he probably deserves a little back pay.

At the end of the day..Gurley was a top draft pick, thus he got his coin early in his career. Being in his 4th year of his rookie deal though, he's really lucky that the Rams wanted to pay him like they did to wrap him up for 4 more years.

 

And Gurley gets to take less than was offered Bell while simultaneously claiming 15M per year because the way they report these deals. It's a win-win.

 

The crappy thing is the biggest obstacle to extend Bell was Bell himself by getting suspended the summer before his 4th year. Had he not gotten a 3 game suspension there's no doubt in my mind they would have gotten him extended because then they had the extra year to play the game. Even if he wanted 15M back then the Steelers could have complied giving him Gurley's 4yr, 60M extension. Along with the 800k he was due in year 4 he would have been under contract for 5 yrs, 60,8M. He would have had his win (15per) and the Steelers would have been fine giving him 12.16M per season. And I don't think it would have taken 15M per back then. Probably much less.

 

Yup. But because he was suspended for the SECOND TIME.........and coming off a serious injury (15'), doubts of BOTH his durability and suspension risk was too much to make a long term offer to him at that time. If he isn't suspended 4 games (then reduced to 3) to start the 2016 season, they likely offer him that summer $10-12 mil per year on a 4 or 5 year extension, and THEN the conversation we're having now is does he get cut after this coming season, or possibly one more after 2019, and before his final year in 2020. Might have meant a cap casualty elsewhere to couple mid level players, but we wouldn't have the uncertainty at RB after this season.

 

I love this, we've gone from LB: "I want to do it" to; Colbert challenge of "you need to do it." This puts a little pressure in the cooker on the just in case he feels less interested in his position... for 2081 . oops, 2018 I never have thought he would intentionally slow down, but this is a nice mano y mano hedge .

Speaking of... where is Mano ? Haven't seen him for quite a while.

https://triblive.com/sports/steeler...l-could-have-been-better-pro-bowler-last-year

 

I think he still has some gas in the tank but not sure he's going to be able to break tackles at 90 years old Maine. Maybe a hip or two.

 

Atlanta Falcons’ OL Jake Matthews has just agreed to a 5-yr/$75M contract... Hmmm, let’s see... 5 into 7, then 5 into 25... that looks a lot like $15M/yr. Not too shabby for an offensive lineman, right? Too bad Top-5 Running Backs aren’t worth that much.

 

Running backs have never been paid like quality starting tackles and they never will be, because they shouldn't be.

Whatever point you think you're making, you're not.

 

The point I’m making is the RB position is way undervalued.