Still Curtain Podcast Ep. 2 (Le’Veon Bell is looking for Antonio Brown money)

The Pittsburgh Steelers have paused negotiations with running back, Le’Veon Bell, and most would assume it’s due to his dollar request. The Still Curtain Podcast breaks down how this impacts his future with the team and the 2018 NFL Draft.

Le’Veon Bell wants to redefine the running back market, which he should. But $17 million, what he’s reportedly asking for, is too high. Pittsburgh isn’t going to hand him that kind of money, as they shouldn’t.

How this effects the two’s future won’t be known until the NFL Draft, but it could certainly mean a departure is coming sooner than later. Whether that means a late offseason trade or pulling the franchise tag, Bell could be on his way out the door with those kinds of requests.

The NFL has made rule changes, and yes, Jesse James caught the ball. It can’t change the past, but it certainly impacts the future. How it’s going to impact the Steelers moving forward could be significant, but it’s something that needed to be done, and everyone is glad it was.

On the other end of rule changes, many people are upset about a targeting rule that was implemented. Leading with the crown of your helmet is now illegal, and despite being safer, it’s certainly taking away from the physicality of the game.

For a team like Pittsburgh, it’s going to be hard to say this rule won’t cause problems. The Steelers are one of the most hard-nosed teams in sports. Without the ability to power-drive people to the ground, they’ll be looking for a new way to make big hits.

Next: Is TE a real draft concern for Steelers?

Looking at Ryan Shazier, though, it’s easy to say this rule is acceptable. Maybe it takes away from the fun, but seeing someone fight to walk again isn’t enjoyable. The Steelers are going to be more careful because of the first hand experience, and now, the rest of the NFL needs to as well.