Optimism arises heading into final week of negotiations between Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers
It’s deadline week for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Le’Veon Bell. The two have until July 16, next Monday, to get a long-term deal done before the 2018 season.
Last year, the final week of contract talks were uninspiring. Bell was looking for much more money than the Steelers were offering, and the two sides somewhat accepted that a deal wasn’t going to get done in the final moments.
A year on the franchise tag is fine. Players find themselves being tagged all the time, waiting for the following season to secure a long-term contract with their team. But the situation with Bell and the Steelers was different.
Pittsburgh had the money to get something done, but they weren’t willing to offer what they needed to. So, the two sides headed into the regular season without a deal done, or Le’Veon Bell reporting for training camp.
Fast forward to this summer. All year, talks between the two sides have been hit and miss. At first, Bell was making it known that the team and the running back were much closer to a deal than they were the following summer. Then, the talks disappeared and many believed the team was looking to draft Bell’s replacement. Now, Bell has said that they’re a lot closer than most expect, leaving fans optimistic that something will get done before the July 16 deadline.
Realistically, it all comes down to the number. If Bell really is fine with somewhere between $14 and $15 million, then by all means he should have an inked contract before next Monday. He’s easily worth $15 million, and if Pittsburgh isn’t willing to give it to him this year, someone else will next year.
They’re aware of the circumstance, and if the two sides are close, they should be willing to negotiate a contract that makes both sides happy. Bell is going to get paid $14.5 million this season, anyways. So, handing his what he’d be making and securing him long-term isn’t a hit on the salary cap, removing money from the list of reasons not to get a deal done.
Pittsburgh needs Bell around for the present and the future. A big reason why a deal should be expected to get done. They’re a heavy Super Bowl favorite this season, but only with Bell on the roster. Then, thinking of when Ben Roethlisberger decides to call it a career, the team wants Bell around to help ease the transition of Mason Rudolph.
Even if there is potential in Jaylen Samuels and James Conner, neither is reaching Bell’s impact level for the next two years. Bell being on the field takes away a majority of the defense’s attention, leaving guys like Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown with a much easier game to manage.
Whether he has the ball in his hands or not, the defense is forced to put some attention on the running back. That won’t be the case with Conner or Samuels, leaving the rest of the offense with a larger workload to handle if Bell isn’t on the field.
Next: 3 Cinderella stories to watch for in training camp
Bell’s worth is $15 million. If he’s asking for less, than get rid of the franchise tag and make it happen. He’s an essential part of the present and future of this franchise. One that can determine whether there’s a gap between winning now and continuing the success into the next generation of players.