LeVeon 3rd tag......

Can somebody explain to me the sudden change of the landscape, and whether it has been reviewed legally, or just theorized - that if Bell sits out entire year and then is franchised again in Jan, that he plays on the same 2nd.......or 3rd level tag? Is this something definitive that the league has had legally determined, or are pundits/agents giving THEIR interpretation of the current CBS language?

I thought if he didn't play this year, Pitt could franchise him again in Jan at same tag amount this year (14.5 mil) and then seek trade partners to let them negotiate a long term deal and Pitt (ideally) could work out draft compensation for this May. Hearing conflicting opinions.

 

The language in the CBA is a bit ambiguous on it. There is no definitive answer. I think the assumption of most was that if Bell sat out the whole year, the Steelers would try to Franchise Tag him again and then it would be up to the NFLPA to prove that the value of the tag should be the QB tag as a third tag as Bell surely would have filed a grievance with the NFLPA.

What has changed is that the Steelers no longer want Bell to show up for the remainder of the year. For that reason, the Steelers have announced that they believe if they franchise him again after the season, that they would owe him almost $25M as a third tag, and therefore the QB tag. They've done this to show Bell and his agent that they don't have to worry about him being tagged again so that he'll stay away.

If James Connor hadn't emerged and the Steelers still believed that signing Le'Veon Bell was a reasonable course of action for the future, they never would have conceded that point and likely would have fought in the offseason for the same Tag he received this year.

Its all a game because the CBA wasn't really clear on a situation like this. I don't think anyone really anticipated a situation like this one actually playing out.

 

I agree here, (hey mano) the league was not ready for this to happen and had/have no contingency plan for a dickhead like Bell ... too harsh??? ... read what he's been saying for the last 6 months ... if you'll take the time you'll remember him saying these things ... and yes, he is a dickhead but I'd like him to finish what he started. Going after a championship with his brother Steelers ... but he doesn't feel that way ...and never did.

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...elers-rb-leveon-bell-on-social-media-nfl-news

What a Liar ... what does he thinks happens to these texts and tweets? ... freakin maroon.

 

I'm curious if the Steelers will still try to tag him since the language in the CBA is ambiguous in this situation. How can the 3rd tag be calculated off the 2nd tag salary when not one penny of the salary was paid?

It's worth taking it to arbitration. Worst case the Steelers lose in arbitration and Bell walks. The Steelers get the same 3rd round compensatory pick.

I think the NFL and team owners would prefer the Steelers go through arbitration. They'd have clarification for future issues like this and know how they want to address this in negotiations of the next CBA.

 

We need to do it for the league. Give Bell some of his own medicine. See if the dumb ass will sit out two seasons in a row.

 

Well if what you say is TRUE, then that is the 2nd DUMB move the Steelers organization has made. Its one thing to not want him to return, its quite another to publicly leak that via information that you aren't sure is accurate. Pitt should have had the issue researched and clarified last summer the minute Bell threatened to sit out the year if tagged again. I understand them wanting to be done with him at this point, but I'd much prefer they have the option of tagging him a 3rd time, but at the same tagged rate for 2018. Pitt then controls his rights again and can have SOME say in who he is traded to. No team is going to give up two #1s AND pay big bucks to almost any player (Mack not quite the same situation), but Pitt probably could have gotten a #2 from someone for Bell, contingent on Bell and his camp being OK with whatever deal another team is offering. And a 2nd round pick in next Springs 2019 draft is FAR BETTER than a 3rd round compensatory pick in 2020 Pitt would get for Bell. And there is no guarantee Pitt might get ANYTHING for him...............Pitt will have some $40 MILLION in cap space before additional moves/cuts (Burns/Burnett/Dupree?). One or two big signings in free agency this Spring could wipe out any consideration for Bell.

 

At least this ends all conversation about Bell until the offseason right?

 

Here's the last thing ...

http://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/i...ieve-leveon-bell-not-worth-thing-point-spread


apparently the professionals are in agreement ... he's just not worth as much as he thinks ...

 

The irony of this entire shitstorm is that Bell thinks he is some sort of martyr for players but another player just likely cost him a protracted carreer in the NFL by showing how good that PIT O is. We all know how good Bell is but Connor aint no slouch when Decastro is opening up a running lane the size of the fucking Marianas trench.

I had this argument with a friend last night. I think even if fiscal security is what bell wanted, this would be the dumbest decision i have seen. I think PIT offered him around 14m a year on a 3 year contract, but Bell wanted far far more. Let us grant he gets 18m a year from someone, fully guaranteed. the net difference over lets say a 4 year contract with the same 2 numbers being considered ( 4 years because i think most people would agree that a RB in the NFL generally declines around 30) is 16m. HE ALMOST LITERALLY JUST GAVE UP 16M THIS GOD DAMN YEAR. and that says nothing of the future contracts that he could of got as a second back or even another feature back in his 30s in the NFL. People may very well pay out the ass for a prime bell but then what? you think the league will forget what he tried to do? THEY DONT GIVE A FLYING YOU KNOW WHAT. The owners own, they dictate the course of the league and the employees play.

I am for more guaranteed money or holding out for a slightly better contract but what Bell has done is just god damn stupid to me.

2k

 

What Bell might have done though is finally help the owners in these franchise tax situations. I'm sorry, but I have never been of the mindset that getting the franchise tag is a bad thing. If you're actually that good that you're getting tagged, then you are surely going to get a contract after which means big payday after a big payday.

Serious question, but has anyone been hurt in their career financially by playing on the tag for a year? We now have evidence of a player being hurt by NOT playing on the tag.

You'd think this might stop some of those foolish summer holdouts...but I'm sure it won't.

 

My bet on all this is that Bell’s agent has had a wink nod deal in place from before the Steelers ever made a long term offer last offseason. There is no other logic to what he’s done. We can vilify Bell for this, but if its true that he’s already got a deal in place that will pay him significantly more than what the Steelers offered with the only caveat being that he’s healthy on the first day of the new league year, I certainly can’t blame him for sitting out the whole season once it came to light he didn’t need to play to force free agency.

 

That still wont make much sense though?

Even if they have a good deal, well actually what would that look like? 20m a year?

I dont feel like that addresses the absurdity here. It's about money, he is costing himself so much money in his career by doing this, the math just doesn't seem to add up. I suppose the one caveat is that he loses future contracts if he signs a 14-15m a year contract but gets hurt badly on that final year and cant play anymore.

Phenomenal player, stupid move to me. I am interested to see what he does eventually get.

2k

 

If Bell plays five more seasons he's going to need to make around 2.8 million more per season than the Steelers were going to pay him per season to make up what he lost by holding out this season. I do not see it happening. What would have had to happen for Bell to not be paid the first two seasons of the contract he was offered? A 3rd violation of the substance abuse policy? Bell was all but guaranteed to make around 32 million. Makes me wonder how much exactly did Bell want in guaranteed money?

I'm glad the Steelers held their ground with Bell. I doubt Bell plays another five seasons. I don't think he plans on playing five more seasons and that is why he's looking for so much in guaranteed money. I don't think he plays because he loves the game or he would have played for 14.5 million this season. Giving a guy that doesn't live to play football 40 million plus in guaranteed money is stupid.

 

Ok Steeler Fans.....here is name from the 70's.........Roy Gerela (K)

He was raised in British Columbia and became the FIRST Canadian to be drafted and play in the NFL.

Drafted by the Houston Oilers (1969) and then signed with Pittsburgh 2 years later and became an All-Star.

He won the Super Bowl 3x and was inducted in the British Columbia Hall of Fame yesterday.

He had nothing but Praise and Respect for the Rooney Family and the Pittsburgh Steelers organization...he was making about 10 K $ /yr and NEVER even thought about asking for a Raise......he was that Proud to be playing for a Storied Franchise........as far as Bell he is shocked that he did not sign in the Beginning of 2018 and thinks its outrageous when your talking 12/15 Million $ a year......he is now 70 years old and thinks that Levon Bell will never play again because of what he has done.......stay tuned Steeler Fans.

 

I always liked Gerela because of he played for the Steelers and NMSU! As well as his ties to Southern New Mexico.

 

Different era different generation

 

Roy G was G-Money from 49 yards and shorter. He was 1 for 5 on 50+, again, different era. He also had 42 career punts (41 with the Oilers, rookie season & 1 for Pittsburgh). He played his final season in San Diego.

To Roy Gerela!

 

Pretty much exactly my point except more eloquently put.

I just dont get what he is thinking.

2k

 

Think about it this way.

Imagine Bell's agent comes to him in May and says, I have the Jets ready to do a deal for 3 years, fully guaranteed at $54M. That's $18M a year for 3 years and he's still only 30 when he hits free agency again. Now, the caveat to the deal is that Bell has to be fully healhty next March.

Why would he want to play for $14.5M, carry the ball some 5-600 times and risk a serious injury that puts over $50M at stake?

And why would he take the Steelers offer of 5 years/$70M when only about $33M was guaranteed and it only included $45M in the first 3 years?

In every way, the deal his agent hypothetically has in hand is better for him. Playing in 2018 only risks his potential earnings. Any significant injury would kill his market.

Like I said, I am reasonably certain that Bell's agent has been in communication with other teams and has at least one relatively certain deal in place as long as Bell is healthy come the first day of free agency. Whether its smart business by that team to sign a guy who hasn't played football in 18 months come the start of the 2019 season or not is irrelevent. There are many teams that have made dumber decisions in the past and there will be dumber decisions made in the future. I bare no ill will towards the guy for doing it that way if that's how it plays out. He's got a small window to maximize his earnings. The Steelers had no issue using every available option to them to make sure he didn't hit the open market, so it would be hypocritcal of me to criticize Bell for doing whatever it takes to make sure he gets to the open market.