Pittsburgh Steelers: What is acceptable compensation for Le’Veon Bell?

Reports are now swirling of the Pittsburgh Steelers listening to offers for Le’Veon Bell. What is acceptable compensation for the All-Pro running back?

We may have been gifted light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to the Le’Veon Bell saga.

Early Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported the Pittsburgh Steelers are now listening to trade offers for Bell, who has yet to report to the team. These developments are only the latest in what has been a dramatic back and forth between Bell and the organization after failing to reach a long-term deal two years in a row. It’s obvious Bell’s tenure in Pittsburgh is coming to an end, whether by trade or via free agency following the 2018 season.

With recent news emerging of General Manager Kevin Colbert now taking phone calls for Bell, it’s important to distinguish the difference between the Steelers actively shopping Bell, and simply listening to offers. However as the old saying goes: Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Le’Veon has provided the Steelers with superb running back play on the field, yet nothing but drama off of it.

So what is acceptable compensation for Le’Veon Bell? Let’s take a dive into a couple of factors to help us determine exactly that.

Evaluating The Player

There’s no questioning the player that Le’Veon is. When on the field, he’s arguably the best back in the league. Bell is a swiss-army knife, as he possesses a skill-set to do everything from pass protection to catching the football. Le’Veon is a rarity at the running back position due to his incredible agility and athleticism for his size. All in all, Le’Veon is a special talent.

His talent on the field cannot be questioned, yet everything else surrounding Bell welcomes questioning and criticism. From his multiple drug-related suspensions to suffering a torn MCL (along with other injuries through his career) to his social media endeavors, Le’Veon is practically the polar opposite of what teams want in how a player handles himself.

Bell is currently 26 years old, with over 1,500 career touches between his rushing attempts (1,229) and receptions (312). In his five-year career, Bell has only completed two full seasons of play.

Overall: The talent drives the price high, as premier/proven running backs are a rarity in today’s game. However, Bell’s past, character concerns and career tread may make teams think otherwise before handing over a king’s ransom.