Le'Veon Bell - 2018

With 100 mil in cap space, I could see the NY Jets making a move towards Bell. I wouldn't advise it though. Bell and Anderson would be fun in the tabloids.

 

^^^NY Post wet dream^^^

 

Take Tomlin and complete the three ring circus.

 

I would take Carlos Hyde as a cheaper and less distracting alternative.

Off topic: I just saw Danny Amendola give a post game interview. He said how grateful he was for the opportunity and how hard they'll have to work to win.
Why can't the Steelers act like that.

 

Watch Bell end up on the Patriots next year and become an ideal teammate and citizen. He wont use twitter anymore and will do whatever BB says and never be late to anything let alone skip a final walkthrough before a playoff game.

These players do not even remotely take 2T seriously.

 

If Bell somehow went to NE I would quit watching football.

 

The Steeler could probably get Carlos Hyde, Dion Lewis, and Isaiah Crowel for less than what Bell wants.

 

That would be a nice backfield.

 

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2018/01/reason-steelers-rb-leveon-bell-shouldnt-receive-franchise-tag/

I agree with almost everything in the article. While I can't deny that I do like the production and the security blanket for Ben, thats a huge amount to pay. If they could wrangle Hyde away from San Francisco, I'd be more comfortable letting Bell walk. Even with a few dips in production for Bell I would bring him back in a heartbeat. It's his attitude that gives me, and likely the front office, pause. Late to practices and games? The week before a playoff game his focus is on the offseason? If he gets paid, does it get better or worse? My bet is worse, plus the Steelers would be stuck with huge dead money if they wanted to cut him after a big deal. With his talent I would be able to deal with some of the attitude, but this is a bit much. Honestly I would be ok with whatever the Steelers decide, I'd like to see him back but I also won't be sad to see him walk. I do hope they don't franchise him though. If they want to keep him, get the deal done before FA hits. If he hits FA, he's likely gone. Some team will overpay him, like the Jets or Giants, or even the Browns.

 

Todd Haley being hired in Cleveland may increase odds that the Browns offer Bell a contract if he hits free agency. I'd like to see him sign a huge 5-year deal only to break after one year of wear. Bell is still young but has taken a lot of abuse in his career so far.

 

Terrible thing to wish on any player.

 

Oh you thought I meant "injured." You're silly.

 

Injured or end of his career either way terrible thing to wish on a fantastic player and you did say

kind of screams injury.

 

No doubt...That's a bringer of bad karma too. Keep up the good work demolisher.

Seriously though, we would likely have to make LeVeon Bell the highest paid RB in the NFL, right? Not saying he isn't worth a ton of money, but given the situation, it wouldn't make much sense for Cleveland to do that. This is a RB rich draft, we have a slew of premium picks, and we are staring at a difference making RB in Saquon Barkley, right in the face....If it was a QB we were talking about, I could see how the hiring of Todd Haley might factor in. Not here however...

 

Thing is while Barkley is high he could always get to the nfl and flop with Bell you know what you are getting (yes there is still some risk) and signing him gives you the ability to use those picks for other needs (one of course being QB). Is also despite what some Steelers fans think would weaken the Steelers so you do two things strengthen your own team and weaken a division foe. Personally I wouldnt want to use the top pick on Barkely. Half of the top 10 leading Running backs came outside of round 1 and I think its something like 17 of the top 25 rushers(running backs only) came outside of round 1. If I were calling shots for the Browns it would be QB and then top O line or BPA Defense.

 

Because their coach doesn't demand it.

 

OK fine, Davontee Freeman is currently the highest paid RB on a multi-year deal. He makes $8.25 million per year average. For the sake of principle, lets round UP to the next highest million ($9 million) because he's better than Freeman. STILL be the highest paid RB in football by 10%. Here are some #2 receivers in the NFL, their production, and what they made last year:

Jarvis Landry (Miami - base salary of $900k, signing bonus $200k) - 112 catches, 987 yards, 9 TDs
Michael Thomas (New Orleans - base salary of $682k, bonus of $400k) - 104 catches, 1,245 yards, 5 TDs
Keenan Allen (Chargers - base salary of 1 mil, signing/workout bonus $1.9 mil) - 102 catches, 1,393 yards, 7 TDs
Adam Thielen (Vikings - base salary of 2.7 mil, signing bonus 1 mil) - 91 catches, 1,276 yards, 6 TDs
Golden Tate (Lions - base salary of 6 mil, signing bonus 1.6 mil) - 92 catches, 1,003 yards, 5 TDs

For the TOP-5 producing #2 receivers in the league this past year, this equates to an average salary of $3.2 million with 100 catches, for 1,180 yards, and 6 TDs.
LeVeon Bell (Steelers - tag base salary of $12.4 mil) - 85 catches, 665 yards, 2 TDs

Got news for everyone, especially Bell and his agent. He's ALREADY PAID as both a #1 running back ($9 mil) and a #2 receiver (3.2 mil). If you want to say he deserves more than the next highest paid running backs in Freeman and McCoy.......fine, I'll agree with you. But HOW MUCH more? Double?? Yeah, right. I'd say 20%-25% over everyone else in the league is MORE THAN FAIR for any top player. So for his running back services let's pay him $10 million/year, which is 20% higher than the next TWO highest paid RBs in all of football. Tack on another $3.2 million for being a #2 receiver (DESPITE his numbers coming in WELL BELOW the average of the top-5 producing #2 receivers in the league), you get $13.2 million/year. LAST YEAR Pitt offered just under this average for 5 total years, with a $14 mil/year average the first 3 years of the deal. The offer was MORE THAN FAIR.

LeVeon is a phenomenal player, but he is crazy if he thinks he is going to get $15-17 million per year from ANY TEAM, whether its Pitt, the Jets, Raiders........anyone. It doesn't matter who has X amount of cap space. Nobody is going to pay him that amount ON PRINCIPLE, and also because he isn't worth it. No RB is today. Especially considering he's one strike away from another 4-game suspension, he just completed his first full season of his career without injury, and obviously has an attitude problem at times, given his behavior last year and this postseason. And unless he goes to play for Dallas, he'll be running behind an offensive line that is not as good, and likely taking handoffs from a lesser QB no matter where he goes.

If he truly cares MOST about a supposed LEGACY and trying to reset the market for future running backs like Gurley and Elliott instead of winning football games and contending for a championship............then goodbye and good riddance LeVeon. Let him walk, or tag and trade him before the draft. I don't care that he's a Hall of Fame caliber talent. At some point you have to accept that you've made a fair offer, and the other side has no mutual desire to make it work.

 

That's an excellent point. Don't get me wrong, I'm not opposed to the Browns going after Bell. A lot of people think we will, because of the reason you cited, and because we got the money to spend...I'm not sure, but I get the sense the Browns will be all over Barkley if he's available at #4...Obviously, that wouldn't be the case if we sign LeVeon...At the end of the day, I don't see him leaving the Steelers. And I think there's a strong chance you'll see Barkley in Cleveland....It's all speculation now. This is an outstanding RB draft class, so nothing would surprise me.

 

Impending free agent Le'Veon Bell said he and the Steelers are in active contract talks and are "a lot closer" than they were last year.

Bell turned down an extension last year that would have guaranteed him $30 million over the first two years of the deal and paid around $12 million annually, which would have easily made him the league's highest-paid back. He played 2017 on the $12.1 million franchise tag. This year, the tag would cost around $14.5 million. Bell turns 26 next month. He's going to get paid either way.


Source: Mark Kaboly on Twitter

 

Sorry I offended you.

Honestly, do you have a problem with me Jean? You never respond to my posts except to be antagonistic in some way. Just curious.