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

Evaluating The Trade Market

This is perhaps the trickiest part, as big name running backs are hardly ever traded in these types of scenarios. Secondly, the Steelers themselves aren’t exactly known for wheeling and dealing their guys, as the organization likes to keep in-house players.

Yet the team will make moves when needed, as Colbert proved this in the off-season after trading wide receiver Martavis Bryant to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for a third round pick. The Steelers also dealt a fourth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers in exhange for tight end Vance McDonald last August. The team’s most recent trade came again with the Raiders just a month ago, as the Steelers acquired wide receiver Ryan Switzer and a sixth round pick in exchange for a fifth round pick.

As for the running back position, there are few trades that are able to give us a good idea of what the return on a guy like Bell will be. Jay Ajayi was traded from the Miami Dolphins to the Philadelphia Eagles last season for a fourth round pick. The last true “big name” back to hit the trade market was LeSean McCoy in 2015, going from Philadelphia to Buffalo in exchange for linebacker Kiko Alonso.

Big-name players are up for sale across the league, and most will point to the Khalil Mack trade to get a solid comparison for Bell. The situations mirrored each other, as both Bell/Mack sat out the preseason due to wanting a new, long-term contract. Mack was shipped away by Oakland to the Chicago Bears, for first-round draft picks in 2019 and 2020, a third-rounder in 2020 and a sixth-rounder in 2019.

Obviously, the market for Mack, one of the league’s most dominant defensive players, is sky-high compared to what the Steelers will be looking for with Bell. It’s extremely unlikely Pittsburgh is able to wheel and deal a blockbuster trade to those extents (unless of course Oakland is interested, they have a great history of being generous in trades).

Overall: Due to Bell’s prominence and likely asking price by Pittsburgh, no recent trades are able to forecast a potential price range. However, the team was able to get a third round pick out of Martavis Bryant, as the team should start from there and build up in talks.