What should we do with Le'Veon Bell?

Cmon man we are pessimistic together lol

 

I'm hopeful the Steelers can find another franchise QB in my lifetime.

 

The big question tag him or break the bank to keep him, heres some pros and cons from behind the steel curtain:

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...eveon-bell-steelers-free-agency-franchise-tag

 

RBs are a dime a dozen, they don't need to overpay for Bell. The Eagles and Patriots the last 2 SB winners use RB by committee.

 

We're not the eagles or patsies laat time I checked. Would either of those teams scoop up bell ... Yes, in a heartbeat. We're so spoiled that sometimes we become arrogant in our thought process.

 

I agree with ya however I know where we are at and the next 2 years we are set up to win it all with what we have on this team and I am not willing to change that. I have talked a lot about how we still have the money to fix the D and that is what a lot of people want including myself so if we can do both why not?

 

You make great points and I agree with a lot but let me say this. The injury to Shazier is big and we have to be able to fix that position. Also Mitchell was horrid this season and just replacing him alone helps fix the defense. 2 simple moves while draft some young talent at ILB, S and OLB will imo be a big time improvement to this team and keeping Bell doesn't hurt us or our cap.

 

I could not disagree more, look up a few posts where I just talked about the money we would have with just a handful of cuts, a lot of players that are not impact players could free up enough money to fix the D and sign Bell. Gay, Golden, Wilcox, Mitchell these guys are replaceable and honestly getting rid of them makes us better.

With Bell we would have the best RB & WR, a top 5 QB and oline and a supporting cast on offense second to none. We have talent on defense Haden, Heyward, Tuitt, Watt are all good, we need to fix 2 spots and coach better. This team is not in rebuild mode at all, we are in championship mode it just needs a little adjustment.

 

I like your optimism, but I have to disagree. The defense is more than 2 players away from being top 10, at least... and rankings and stats be damned, this defense is one of the worst in the league because of ILB and S. And to some degree... OLB. I'm a little more optimistic about CB because of Haden and the development of Hilton.

Steelers need better production vs. run and pass from OLB. Steelers need better production vs. the run at D-line and ILB. This can't be resolved in 1 season. It will be up to the offense to provide a Herculean, Coryell-Chargers caliber offensive performance next season to overcome the defensive deficiencies. I hope you're right and I'm a fool, but my opinion is still to let Bell go into FA and shore up the D with 2 quality, James Farrior-caliber free agent acquisitions instead of tying up all of that money in Bell.

 

Next Man Up

 

Agreed, I've been saying for a while that the Giants would be a great landing spot for Le'Veon if he wants more. New York needs to make a splash and reinvigorate the offense after their disastrous 2017 season. The two clubs have a great relationship, a mutually beneficial deal is something I can live with. We don't play them until 2020 and they're not getting back to the Super Bowl anytime soon. Little downside, plenty of reward.

 

I am not just trying to be the glass half full guy I am being real. A lot of our problems on defense came from 2 spots/people, S(Mitchell) and ILB(loss of Shazier)! Now I am not going to say that was everything cause I have said from the beginning that scheme/game planning/coaching whatever you want to call it is a big problem. An example not to go back to the painful loss but take how we opened in the Jags playoff game. We pretty much played to stop the run but we left our CB's 5-7 yards off the ball giving Bortles an easy dump off. The Cheats game not doubling Gronk on the final drive is another example. These are things money can't change so I am leaving it out for this conversation.

Out with Mitchell in with say Boston as a FA and also draft at least 1 if not 2 more safeties. IMO that position fixed, onto ILB do the same with that as you did with S. Sign for example Zach Brown and draft a guy, so we sign 2 FA's and make the same picks at these positions in the draft and we would fix both spots. Fixing these 2 positions will fix the defense and we will have the money to fix the D with 2 FA's and sign Bell and money for the draft class.

 

KICKER/PUNTER/LS......LMAO

No really in our system RB is not the easiest, what Bell does is very hard. When to pick up the blitz and when to slide out as a dump off them things are not easy and a lot of the time not planned. How often do you hear about a rookie RB not playing cause he can't pick up the blitz? I hear it being talked about and as a matter of fact Peyton Manning had a big problem with it. Honestly G and T are pretty much more about skill than brains imo.

Yeah we do have plenty of weapons but they are seeing the ball as well, you can't go and change our system and that's what would happen without Bell if you want to move the workload off of a rookie.

I don't like giving this big money to Bell but straight up on the field there is nobody better but the off field stuff has me worried. You are right a lot of money for 3 guys on O

 

I'm not going to throw a fit if the Steelers sign Bell. I hope you're right about fixing those 2 spots being the remedy to the Steelers woes on defense. That would be awesome and the Steelers chances vs. Jaguars, Patriots and Texans with Watson at QB would be much improved. Those 3 teams worry me.

 

I really and not going to argue with you on this not worth it to me so we will agree to disagree

 

Honestly I feel similar if the Steelers don't sign Bell. I am not going to like it, my choice is to sign him but I get it from a money stand point if we don't. Let me ask you something and I am not taking a shot here at you or anyone else. If we don't sign Bell what would be your moves to fix the D, what moves would you make? Give me names and what you think it would cost to sign them, please. I am trying to put myself in your line of thinking.

 

If you cut 5 defensive backs you have to sign 5 defensive backs, so you're not saving nearly what you think.

They offered Bell $12M last year. That's more than fair. If they give him more than that, I'd be pissed. If someone wants to be dumb enough to give him 16+, then fine they can have him. Given the amount of talent on the rest of the offense, they'll be okay without him and that money is better spent invested in the defense. $16M/yr for a running back is stupid, especially one who is a distraction with a suspension and injury history.

 

Sign & Trade!

 

The Eagles and Patriots are smart enough not to give in to Bell contract demands. They both won a SB without a star RB.

 

I think Boston will be out of their price range, he's looking to get paid.

 

Yes you are correct no matter who we cut we are going to have to replace them. I figure we sign a S to be a starter and a S cheap while also drafting one. We also have Sutton and Allen ready to step up and we can draft a guy. So while they do have to be replaced which does eat into that money they can be replaced for half the price. 12 mil is fair but it is what it is I am not going to worry if they sign him for 16 mil. He is a top talent and I am not ready to lose him, yeah we have other weapons but have Bell to defend makes them weapons as well. The bottom line is the money is there for a FA ILB, S and Bell and the D is not as far off as many here are making it out to be.

 

The Eagles also just won a SB with a back up QB so we should cut Ben while we are at it and invest that money into the D as well............

 

Ok I was just using Boston as an example Vaccaro, Joyner, Graham, Burrett, Reid, McDougald, Gilchrist. Use any of them not all these guys are going to get top money one or more will be in our price range and all are better than Mitchell. Berry signed a 6 yr 78 mil contract last year and there are only 6 S making 10+ mil avg a year. We will be able to find a guy out of the list about for 6-8m a year plus also a guy like Byrd for depth, he made 900k last season.