Roster Exemption

Never meant to imply that he didn't run routes or that he didn't line up at WR...my point what that its not his bread and butter.

I want him gone now simply because he has proven that he is not worth the headache. He is still acting like the Steelers tried to low ball him. Lets just say for one moment he was the key to the Steelers success. He was 100% ok letting the entire team down because he was afraid he might get hurt. Thats football. The Steelers didnt low ball him. They offered him the highest paid RB by over 100% two years in a row.

He felt he was worth more. He was wrong. If I were another NFL team I really don't think I offer him more than maybe 9 mill a year.....slightly more than the #2 back currently...but no where near the deal he was offered or that Gurley got.

Is Bell talented. Without a doubt. But he is not about winning....he is not about rings....he is not about the yellow jacket......he
is simply about $$$

Don't get me wrong...I am sure he wants to win...I am sure he wants a ring...and I am sure he wants the HOF.

But when you think you can just not show up for a year. in your prime..and that your stats will still look like a HOFer in the end....when you have already missed about a season for drugs, and injuries......or that you can just play anywhere and get a ring.....thats just not how it normally works.

He should have taken what the Steelers offered....and been a King in eastern PA making up the extra cash with a LeBell BAR 26 restaurant...and LeVeon Bell BBQ Sauce...or Leveons Car Dealership.

Instead he burned his bridges here...and will need to be Superman where he goes next or will be on his 3rd team in 2 years.

Ask Mike Wallace. He was considered one of the best in the league....he got his 50 mil signing bonus with Miami....then got a little with Minn..and a little with the Ravens..then got a little with the Eagles.....his 5th team...and is an after thought in the NFL.

But he got his $.....good for him. The Steelers have no rings to show for it since he left either...so I guess he made the right call as long as you don't mind not being relevant in the best WR's in the game conversation.

HACK

 

I don't think Mike Wallace was ever relevant to the conversation about the best wide receivers in the game, though I do see your point. I just care more about talent and not giving Bell what he wants than I do about headaches. He is already a headache without being there. That won't change if he is wearing another uniform or if he sits out the entire season.

 

ty montgomery and cordarell patterson play RB and WR but nobody is paying them for both positions. bells self love is part of his problem and it makes him a distraction. he is also aging and getting mileage on that body. sure he is a good player to have but the baggage he brings puts people off. if he took the very nice offer that was made him by the steelers and shut his mouth and played like he's capable, he could still be welcomed with open arms by team mates and fans. hitting the airwaves with tweets and raps about the situation just adds to his dislike by many. he could still be a fan favorite and a top player in the league if he hadn't gone that route. he's entitled to ask for as much as he wants but it comes with a cost. he is not the only player to play multiple positions. he feels like he's alone in doing that but he's not.

 

Bell has just under two weeks or he forfeits the accrued season.

 

and a ton of money. to put it in perspective, ramon foster would be lucky to make that much in his career total. i bet it's not a lot more than that.

 

Now is when they should pull the tag. Try to screw him.

 

I suspect that, however justified we may feel it is, the Steelers flagrantly screwing Bell on a contract will have repercussions for later contract negotiations with our other star players.

I’d let Bell screw this up all by himself.

 

You think it is screwing the guy to free him to get paid for this season elsewhere and still be a free agent? Your understanding of this situation is lacking.

 

I think rolling over and letting Bell screw them would have repercussions for later contract negotiations with our other star players.

 

Ok, but based on what criteria?

 

Rescinding the tag benefits us in NO WAY. 1) we would not get a compensatory pick in the draft, 2) bell could sign with any other team immediately. Rescinding the tag makes zero sense. It'll be better to have him sign and ride the pine the rest of the season.

 

I do not agree. I have read (which may not be right) if we rescind the tag and let him sign with another team we still get a pick for losing a FA. Correct or not? Why pay him xmillion to sit the bench when that cap money will roll over to next season and he will be off the books completely plus this years savings. So really not losing him for nothing, just rolling 17mil into next season and a comp pick. Also I haven't don the research but have we used a comp pick to get a PLAYER, our drafting is suspect to begin with. I know I did a post about Tomlin and Colbert's 1-3 round picks for the last 10 years maybe and 3 studs and 4-5 players I think and the rest busts, so what good is a pick Id rather have the cap so we can pay a proven commodity.

I think it would be hard for him to really get what he wants over the next 6 weeks from a team (money wise) and not risk injury before his big pay day. I agree with what HACK posted about the deal not being what it was. Im probably wrong but I just do not see any way him coming back could be good for this "fragile" team IMO.

 

.....actually it would be better for him to sign and help us win a SB but I get what you're saying

 

A pick for Bell is not a guarantee. It will be decided by the top secret convoluted formula they use to distribute comp picks.

 

I agree with this. A 3rd round comp pick for Bell is not a given.

 

Per Dale Lolley at DK, Bell has to report and sign by Nov 13th to accrue the season. If he does not report, he can not play the remainder of this year and can be tagged at the same amount again next year, transition tag him, or allowed to leave.

 

That's far from fact. It's a huge grey area that will result in a grievance. If Bell wins, he would due close to $25 million next year. No sane GM is going to pay a RB that much, so tagging him is simply out of the question

 

This is also true - to clarify, I didn't mean let Bell get whatever the hell he wants. I was meaning more actions like suddenly rescinding the tag.

 

It’s in the CBA. He has to accept the tag tender by 4pm Eastern on the Tuesday following the Week 10 games (that’s November 13th), or he’s required to not play the remainder of this season.

Article 10: Franchise and Transition Players.
Section 15. Signing Period for Franchise Players:
(a) In the event that a player who is designated and tendered as a Franchise
Player has not signed a Player Contract with a Club by the Tuesday following the tenth week of the regular season, at 4:00pm New York time, the player shall be prohibited from playing football in the NFL for the remainder of that League Year, ...​

 

Not to split hairs, but the season accrual isn’t important. The repeat-tag tender is calculated in a variety of ways, one of which is based on the player’s Last Year’s Salary. That’s defined as the salary from the most recently negotiated contract...which, if Bell misses this season entirely, would be his 2017 salary.

 

Actually it is Quite important. If he doesn’t get the accrued season the Steelers can franchise him again next year for the exact same amount as this year. Bell is only screwing himself by sitting around and making crappy rap songs.

 

Ok, part of my day job is hair-splitting.

The Steelers’ ability to tag him next year for $14.4mm isn’t because he didn’t accrue yet another season, but because he didn’t replace his 2017 salary with a larger 2018 salary. (And because the CBA says so.)

Article 10, Section 15. Signing Period for Franchise Players:
(a) In the event that a player who is designated and tendered as a Franchise
Player has not signed a Player Contract with a Club by the Tuesday following the tenth week of the regular season, at 4:00pm New York time, the player shall be prohibited from playing football in the NFL for the remainder of that League Year, ...
(c) If any Franchise Player does not play in the NFL in a League Year, his Prior Team shall have the right to designate such player as a Franchise Player or a Transition Player the following League Year, if such designation is otherwise available to the Team, except that the applicable Tender must be made and any 120% Tender shall be measured from the Player’s Prior Year Salary.​

 

The Steelers are going to do what’s best for the team! We the fans can wish that or wish this because we are fans of the game and can think with emotions and not have repercussions.The Steelers have a business to run and are not thinking about payback or getting even with a player.They have current players and nexts years free agent class to use that extra cap space they will have.No way Bell is in the picture next year.At least ours,and that’s a good thing!!

 

It's not about payback. It's about showing some strength to avoid other players from pulling similar crap.