The Pittsburgh Steelers have one job this offseason

The Pittsburgh Steelers need to accomplish one task this offseason – sign Le’Veon Bell.

If the Pittsburgh Steelers are serious about winning Super Bowl LIII, they need to make sure their stars are intact. For this team, their stars don’t get any bigger than Le’Veon Bell. And if they force him to retire, they’re admitting defeat before the season even started.

Last offseason, handing Le’Veon Bell $30 million in two years, on top of the rest of his contract, was too much. Bell might have been worth the money, but given his history of injuries, giving it to him was still concerning.

Today, there’s no question you give him the money. He wants to be valued? Guess what? He deserves to be.

Bell would’ve been the NFL’s leading rusher this season. His 321 rushes aren’t something you give to a player you want on another team next season. Or sitting on a couch.

What Pittsburgh needs to do is pay Bell. That said, it needs to be formatted in a way that keeps the Steelers with the upper hand. Bell wants $30 million in two years? Fine, hand it to him, but make sure there are escape options after the second year of the contract.

Make the decision Bell’s. If he truly values this team, which he should, he’ll put his play on the field to work. There’s no doubt he’ll be worth the money next season, but how much he slows down closer to 30-years-old isn’t a risk you spend league-leading money on.

Pittsburgh needs to keep this team in tact and keep an eye on the future. James Conner didn’t get drafted to ride the bench his entire career. In two years, he could be ready for the starting role, or he could be a bust. Either way, this is the summer to assure the Steelers are set no matter what happens.

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It’s time to prepare for the future. For Pittsburgh, Le’Veon Bell is the future – for now. And until that changes, he needs to be valued. No matter how much that’s going to cost.