For those who think we have a shot at Bell next year....

The Rams are nuts. Now they made Bell look reasonable. We cannot mortgage the future to keep him.

 

I really don't have a problem with running backs on the caliber of Bell wanting to get paid for their production and not position. I admit to be a bit sour after hearing the deal didn't go down with what the Steelers offered, as I know they were doing what they could to keep Bell besides release a bunch of players to free up cap space. I think Bell has 4 or 5 good years in him, BARRING A MAJOR INJURY (see Kijana Carter, et al). All it takes is one for any position really but RB especially and they are just not the same player.

So it's a big risk, but yes I see more RBs getting paid more in the future, which to be honest they do get the crap kicked out of them year in and year out. Certainly their bodies take a greater toll than your finesse-type Wide Receivers getting pounded by linebackers on a daily basis.

Truth be told, I'd of rather had Bell under the big contract that Antonio Brown. I love AB, and think he is great, but him and Ben go together like PB and Jelly. A lot of both of their successes can be attributed to each other.

So if Ben is with AB than it was a good move, if he retires we IMO will see an entirely different AB. I think players like Mason would have been better off with a solid check down receiver.

 

carson wentz WAS better than Ben last year. doesn't mean he is the better overall player.

Gurley WAS better than Bell and we have yet to judge based on him only playing 3 years vs 5.

facts

 

We can argue who was better last year Bell / Gurley, Wentz / Ben. They are all clearly very, very good. And, I agree that last year Wentz was better but I'd still take Ben as my starting QB this year. Conner had more YPC than Bell but I wouldn't suggest that he's a better back. But if you watch Gurley play and you look at the stats I think he is better all around.

The common belief and dialog around Bell is that he plays like a WR. The OP said that Gurley didn't which is just plain wrong.

 

Need to read the fine print in gurleys new contract good through the 2023 season, thats a 6 year deal folks, not four:

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...ell-more-than-it-helps-him-news-steelers-rams

Before anyone gets too excited about the extension the Rams’ running back has signed, it might be wise to wait for the real numbers behind the deal to see the light of day before getting carried away.

It is hard to believe the contract actually includes $45 million fully guaranteed, and it is more likely these guarantees are, at least in part, guaranteed for injury only. It would not be a surprise to learn they would only activate if Gurley reached certain milestones in the years before as well. Time will tell in this regard, but it is also worth noting that almost $12 million of this reported guarantee will include the money he was already owed before the extension, money that he was already effectively guaranteed.

 

Just to clarify a few things

Gurley had a great year no doubt, however, Gurley saw 8 in the box just 16.8% (3rd lowest in the nfl) under McVays offense...
We’ll see after a year of film if the nfl doesn’t catch up.

My point Is Gurley is not used as a wr like Bell as I stated.
Bell lines up in the slot like a traditional wr. He lines up in 4 wide sets. Bell is a really good route runner...period. You can catch a lot of balls as a rb but not necessarily be a great route runner.
McVays uniqish offense uses lots of play action, something the Steelers don’t use a lot of...and how Gurley got the bulk of his receptions. The Rams used Tavon Austin as a decoy as well.
When I said Bell is more dynamic, I was referring to his ability to be a weapon in the receiving game, being used like Gurley in a more traditional rb role and able to legitimately line up in a true wr role. I don’t think there’s another back that is proficient enough to do what Bell does in the receiving game as a back and as a wr. To me that makes him more dynamic.

Oh yeah, he might be the best blocker at his position as well.

With my post, I wasn’t trying to take away from Gurleys accomplishments, but to say, Bell has a strong case to make what he’s asking. Having Gurleys contract as a base for negotiations, there is no doubt he’ll receive a record breaking contract. It is something the Steelers can’t afford and imo should not do. In general, signing a rb to 17 + with lots of guaranteed money Is a risky trend that will either payoff or most likely put teams in bad situations via cap implications.

 

I think Bell wants to play in a major market City to push the potential of his extracurricular activities.

 

Gurley got $45 mill guarantee; Bell's deal had only $10.

Don't let the rooneys bamboozle you that they offered such a great deal - they didn't. Only the guaranteed $ is real.

 

Hopefully Samuels comes out rockin behind our OL.

 

Thanks for clarification. That all makes sense. I think Bell / Gurley are very much in the same tier and Bell will get big $ next year.

FWIW - I would much rather they use Bell like the Rams use Gurley - as play action or in motion. Lining him up as the #3 or #4 option just doesn't seem worth it.

And we are very much in agreement that the Steelers should not have signed him to a monster contract and that whoever does will likely regret it. Too much $ in that position for any team, but especially the Steelers. It's still a passing league.

 

Oh I agree! I think it was crazy we never did play action. It seems Ben was in favor of it too, but it was written out of the offense under Haley... But now that we have Fichtner and Samuels, I think it would be even more effective....keep others guessing. RPOs will help and having two backs on the field at the same time could keep teams honest...

 

If you watch the film from last yr and look at the stats Wentz was better than ben. You cant have it both ways..

 

I disagree with that. Being a Pittsburgh steeler is highly marketable.

 

I agree,it's pretty obvious after thumbing his nose at 2 trend setting contracts for his position that he just wants to move out... The money was there and will be there elsewhere. He wants a new zip code.

 

So he's going somewhere else for 10 million guranteed?

 

He's going somewhere else guaranteed.

 

Exactly keep continuing to ignore the low gurantee he got from pitt.

 

I'm not ignoring anything mate. I've written paragraphs over this **** detailing everything and all you chime in with is guarantee... I get it dude. You ignore everything plausible as to why he was offered what he was offered twice without keeping in mind that he himself said he wanted to raise the value of RBs across the league which he would've but he turned down. If it's about guarantees? That's fine. He happens to be a part of an organization that has been willing to keep him in tow without a guarantee that he won't cause them any grief... Of which he has period. Holmes is not what L Bell is but he is a SB MVP and he was shown the door with a quickness for putting the team in a bad spot.

Bell has eye popping numbers (which dipped after an increased load last season) but nonetheless has not mattered in elevating this team in all that matters which is the trophy. Why pay out of the nose for HIM, when there are other positions of need for future concerns.

Other players and even Steelers players will get paid and reset a market until the next team changes it all up again. They haven't gotten any further with Bell than they have with him all the while dealing with his BS. Had he been the difference maker he thinks he is wed still be having this conversation because he thinks he's above the team's needs which has shown in his very own actions a few times in his short career. He can't guarantee anything other than he believes he's a victim with nice stats here and that's pretty sad and completely hilarious.

He's already gotten damn near 30 mil guaranteed the last 2 seasons on the tag. 10 guaranteed for a possible 70 in this last offering which supposedly had 45 in offerings if he can make it to year 3 of the deal. Thing is, if he productively made year 3 he'd be bitching about it all over again. He'd no doubt start crying in year 2 after the next new kid on the block resets everything. He's not on a team that is stupid enough to cave into his non guaranteed future and thankfully he was too stupid to not ink the deal for a team that historically speaking wouldve **** canned him already.

I get where you come from if I presume right that you are championing the little man vs the big machine and what not. However it's not as vile as you think as far as pecking order goes.

I'm a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the collective product they put out on the field. Not what's good for L. Bell or whoever the next dummy of the week is... With their self perceived BS.

 

And you just spoke exactly what I thought. You can honestly care less about leveon. Your concern is your Steelers and their well being... nothing wrong with that but that's exactly why people like him try to get the money when they can and my whole problem is you people begrudge him for getting more money elsewhere. That's his right.

 

what school are you a RB for lol

 

That's all fine and well bro... I congratulate him getting more money elsewhere if that becomes the case. Not worried about elsewhere. I tend to focus on what happens with the team I was raised on. No worries.

 

I believe he is a defensive back down in North Carolina.

 

Honest question as I'm trying to get up to speed with your train of thought here.

Since this Bell crush of yours has started, I personally have received more likes, agrees and winner clicks than you have with our posts across these bell topics. Being that those come from our peers per se does that guarantee my opinion or worth on this board is more valuable than yours? Hahahahahahaha I'm seriously trying to find common ground here.

 

Has nothing to do with bell specifically. I'd argue for any guy trying to get his money if he has for a while been one of the best. And on this board? Sure but this objectivity of this board towards steelers is lacking here including yourself.

 

Nah, collectively speaking we have for years been chalk full of any and all objectivity regarding every piece of literature that comes across this board. Depending on the ebb and flows of the matter is where the huddle separates.

We all love Bell the athlete, we all admire the stats he's put up in a winning fashion here as well. We also acknowledge the whys and such of both sides based off of his actions/team interests monetarily. Some of us disagree and that fine. Some of us do not and that's fine as well. What none of us can argue, is wether or not the team tried their ass off to keep Bell. They did, he didn't care for their offer... And did so twice that we know of. If he thinks he was low balled or disrespected then that his deal. Many of us think the Steelers offered more than they should have Or rather more than we thought they would have and he straight armed the offers, both of which would have reset the market as per his wish.

I don't harbor any ill will towards the kid, I just wish he didn't have the garbage attached to him that muddies the waters with his requests. Injuries happen for sure can't blame him but being an ass hat on the side makes him look pretty ungrateful for not getting tossed aside before being offered the highest paid at his position. Historically speaking this team would've canned him and Bryant but things are slowly changing. However, I don't see them handing out guarantees like you speak of for for folks that can't guarantee they won't be an issue nor available due to issues or injury history sans suspension issues. He painted his picture. He's made pretty good money should he sign this tag the past 2 years.

I wish him the best but like I said, he is not the team and I'm more inclined to the health of the team vs a bitter employee that's outsourcing his own spot on the team.