Pittsburgh Steelers: What is acceptable compensation for Le’Veon Bell?
By Donnie Druin
Evaluating the Running Back Market
We have now rolled into the portion of the program where Le’Veon likely loses some dough. Let’s hope you like numbers.
Le’Veon has said he would like to be paid like a running back and receiver due to his usage in both. The Steelers want to pay him at the position he plays rather than what he does, and thus we find ourselves here. The official deal Bell turned down is still unknown, but many like NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport had a fairly good idea of what it was:
Mentioned yesterday the #Steelers final offer to RB Le’Veon Bell was 5 years, $70M. More context today: The fully guaranteed part was his signing bonus of just over $10M. He would’ve made $33M over the 1st two years — in a rolling guaranteed structure. $45M over the 1st 3 years.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 17, 2018
In 2017, Bell reportedly rejected a 5 year deal that would average out to $12 million a season, with $30 million earned within the first two years and $42 million earned in the first three according to Bleacher Report.
Case in point, Bell wasn’t happy with getting under $17 million, which is the rumored amount of money Bell was seeking in his latest negotiations. The number, $17 million, is currently what star receiver Antonio Brown makes annually.
Focusing back to running backs, the market entering the 2018 season was a little shaky for Bell’s hopes to achieve that figure. Other backs like Melvin Gordon, Todd Gurley, Ezekiel Elliot and David Johnson were inline to receive new contracts in the near future, assuming after Bell would “set the market” for his peers.
Then, the market set itself.
Gurley, seemingly out of the blue, received a 4 year, $57.5 million dollar deal with $45 million guaranteed. Shortly after, Johnson inked himself a 3 year, $38.1 million deal with nearly $32 million in guarantees (both contracts via Spotrac).
While guys like Elliot and Gordon will now wait their turn, the signings of Gurley and Johnson impact Bell and his potential worth greatly. Both Gurley/Johnson are younger, have no off-field issues and are capable of producing the same numbers of Le’Veon.
Overall: The extensions hurt Bell’s argument for wanting $17 million a year, plain and simple. It’s unlikely Bell will see the money he desires when he decides to negotiate again. This can effect trade value in multiple ways, both positively or negatively. Either teams believe they can lower the number and are willing to put up more in a trade, or they see Bell is persistent on the $17 million and shy away from the offer.