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Lev Bell

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by Romans5:8, Jul 26, 2020.

  1. thorn058

    thorn058 Well-Known Member

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    He is quoted today as saying he will play for the Hawks on his existing deal, not demanding they rework it to give him more. Not sure what that says about his demands or the Jets organization if that was a leverage tool to get out of NY.
     
  2. FootballAnalyst98

    FootballAnalyst98 Well-Known Member

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    Thats because he knows seattle didnt trade 2 1st rd picks to not sign him.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  3. thorn058

    thorn058 Well-Known Member

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    True but unlike the AB and Bell saga he is trusting the process now and not demanding they back up a brinks truck before he plays. The more I see the more it seems like he just wanted done with the situation and almost went scorched earth before they took him seriously. I think Bell got doubly burned in all this. Adam's says come to NY it will be great, they start negotiating meanwhile they dump their head coach and gm after Bell signs, he doesn't fit Gase's offense, finds out Gase doesn't want him that much either, talk of dealing or cutting him, horrible year and then Adam's realizes he doesn't want to be there either and forces his way out. Now there sits Bell with a coach that doesn't really want him, his buddies are jumping ship and he is trying to hold some sort of moral high ground. Dude karma bit you hard.
     
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  4. groutbrook

    groutbrook

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    The way things are going (or were going before you-know-what) 15 million per season could be the going rate for an average starter before long. It seems like every new contract is the biggest contract by position every season.
    As far as Jamal, if he stays on the course he's on and plays at the level he's capable, 15 million per could be a steal (Bud is making 16mil this season, for perspective).
     
  5. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    And Bell deserves every bit of it. Thats what you get when you think a lack of ethics and honesty is acceptable in any part of life.
     
    • Agree Agree x 4
  6. CK 13

    CK 13 Well-Known Member

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    When he was here he was multi talented when he was on the field and not sitting in sweats or smoking spliffs. He had the the Offensive Line cohesive with his running style and yes it was a system built for his strengths. As far as Ben making him better I believe it was apples for apples but I understand your point.

    He made a fatal mistake in his career. As well as Brown.
     
    • Agree Agree x 3
  7. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    Bud got the franchise tag that's the going rate, Adams was looking to get paid early in his rookie contract, the Jets didn't seem interested in that. My point is the Steelers couldn't afford to pay Adams, even though some fans wanted to trade for him.
     
  8. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    I wouldn't believe anything that dude says, after he threw the Jets organization under the bus.
     
  9. SteelersFanIrl

    SteelersFanIrl Well-Known Member

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    Yes I think the theory that Ben and the system made him is a bit overstated. It helped him certainly, but he was also a brilliant player, strong runner that rarely fumbled, he blocked like a fullback and caught targets like a receiver. He was the prototype modern day running back.

    From his POV he had been tagged for the second time by a team that was running his wheels off. He was clear about what he wanted in terms of guaranteed money and when the Steelers didn’t want to pay it they should have rescinded the tag. Colbert has said as much since.

    Looking back he probably should have just sucked it up and played because the year away hurt his market imo. I was really disappointed in his actions at the time because I felt the team had a good opportunity in 2018 and he and Conner would have been one of the best duos in the league, but it’s a business and he did what he thought was right for him. If he had sustained a bad injury in 2018 his chance of a big payday would have been gone. Water under the bridge now and it gives me no satisfaction to see his situation with the Jets continue to deteriorate. If the price was right I would welcome him back to the Steelers.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  10. Diamond

    Diamond Well-Known Member

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    NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Monday that before the Seahawks finalized their trade for Adams, the sides agreed he'd play 2020 on his existing rookie contract, per a source informed of the talks.

    Agreeing to play on his current rookie deal doesn't stop the Seahawks from extending him beyond then without reworking those final two years. Pelissero's report essentially confirms that there won't be an urgent timetable for getting a long-term deal done with the safety.
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  11. groutbrook

    groutbrook

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    Bud being worth 16 mil based on the tag was my point, since the tag is based on an average of top salaries. Salaries are (*were*) going up and up and up. Plus they would have had time to figure it out, since Adams is playing on his rookie deal.
    I guess the Steelers will save their first round picks for the next superstar, like Terrell Edmunds.:unsure:
     
  12. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    I’m not saying he’s void of talent, he’s very talented, I’m just going by his numbers and there was a sharp drop off, especially rushing yards. If I’m a GM and a player is demanding to be paid an excessive amount and set a new market for WR/RB roll, then I’m taking into consideration who he plays for, in Bells case, all he had ever known was Pittsburgh. So now I’m thinking, can my line zone block and implement a similar system to maximize Bells talent or is he a talent that transcends scheme and do I have the QB to take advantage of his receiving skills.

    To me, Bell was not worth what he was demanding.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  13. SteelersFanIrl

    SteelersFanIrl Well-Known Member

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    I know what you mean and agree to a point. To be honest, I don’t think any running back is worth what Bell was looking for. He was immense, but you can get 80% + of that production from a rookie if you draft well. Look at how James Conner performed in 2018 before the injury bug bit him. If I was a GM I don’t think I’d ever pay a running back top of the market money, it never seems to work out.

    My broad point is that I can see Bell’s side and the Steelers should not have tagged him that second time. He probably would have gotten the contract he wanted elsewhere in 2018 as his stock was very high at that point. The year away was his own doing but it really hurt his value. He has made poor decisions but by all accounts he was a good teammate that just wanted to be paid what he felt he was worth. I don’t think his actions merit some of the hate he gets from fans (not talking about you btw).
     
  14. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    I agree. He wasn't worth what he was asking, but that doesn't diminish the type of player he was here. It wasn't just no longer playing with Roethlisberger, Brown and that offensive line that caused Bell to decline last season. Sitting out an entire season was going to be a negative. He definitely made a bad decision by sitting out that entire season rather than play on the tag and get his big payday, but that's well in the past.

    Bell criticizing Adams is laughable given the way he treated his own teammates in Pittsburgh. He lied to them and then ghosted them.

    The Adams trade really makes the Fitzpatrick deal look even better. I know some people think Adams is the better player, but I don't see it. I think they are comparable, but the Steelers gave up a lot less to get Fitzpatrick.
     
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  15. groutbrook

    groutbrook

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    They're different types of player, more than one being better than the other. They would've complimented each other perfectly, prospectively being the best safety combo in the league.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  16. SteelersFanIrl

    SteelersFanIrl Well-Known Member

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    One of the arguments I have seen put forward to justify what Seattle paid is that they always waste their first round picks anyway, that is some serious straw clutching.

    Fantastic player but I really don’t see the value either, a first and maybe a second or third would have been a bit easier to take. That said, I expect him to be phenomenal in that defence.
     
  17. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    My point is besides the money for Adams, the would've needed to give up 3 or 4 picks just to get him, no thanks. They have one superstar at safety, they don't need 2, defense wasn't the problem last season.
     
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  18. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    Probably by next year they will have to redo his contract, it still wouldn't make sense for the Steelers, they need to take care of Watt in 2021 probably dealing with a lower salary cap too.
     
  19. The Glory Days

    The Glory Days Well-Known Member

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    So @FootballAnalyst98 thinks that we need to bring in superstars instead of focusing on the team as a whole. Would you consider Barry Sanders a superstar? How many championships did Detroit win with him again? Ricky Williams pretty much sunk Ditka's final hurrah with the Saints when he leveraged the whole team to get him. Bo Jackson knows superstars, because he was one. But he doesn't know championships. With him for 3 years, the Raiders were irrelevant. When they finally got it together, they looked dominant. But when their superstar got hurt, the Bills crushed them in the AFC championship. I could go on and on about the impact, or lack thereof, of superstars on NFL rosters. They are fun to watch, but they rarely ever translate to rings. It's called a "team" sport for a reason.
     
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  20. The Glory Days

    The Glory Days Well-Known Member

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    False.

    You want a washed up malcontent who gave up on this team? Seriously? You must be joking.

    If we could bring back the 2017 version, then let's talk. But today's Lev Bell does NOT make this team better. Today's Bell makes this team worse. Might as well bring back AB in a package deal and let the two of them totally divide the locker room.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  21. SteelersFanIrl

    SteelersFanIrl Well-Known Member

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    Jets have already paid him, if he was on a very good value contract then I don’t have any issue with him suiting up in the black and gold again.

    Bell never caused major issues in the locker room afaik. He was well liked by teammates by all accounts.

    Whether he makes the team better is debatable. You could be right, nobody can say for sure.

    AB I agree with you 100%. Bell often gets lumped in to the same bracket which is wrong IMO. Players hold out all the time.
     
  22. BigBensBigBong

    BigBensBigBong Well-Known Member

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    We need a great YOUNG runner. The ideal situation would be to have the best defense and a strong running game so Ben does not have to do too much. That is the way to win with an older QB.

    Problem for us is I doubt any of our RB`s are great and our O-line is questionable when it comes to run blocking.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  23. The Glory Days

    The Glory Days Well-Known Member

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    Bell didn't hold out. He held the team hostage. For 2 seasons. He lied to his teammates. They were upset. They expected him in uniform. He chose to jet-ski instead of go to battle with them.
     
  24. KnoxVegasSteel

    KnoxVegasSteel Well-Known Member

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    How else were those strippers going to make a living?
     
    • Hilarious Hilarious x 3
  25. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    Actually, Bell did hold out and it was one season that he didn't play, not two. I get the hate for what he did. The way he treated his teammates was unacceptable. He lied to them, then he ghosted them. That doesn't mean we need to start making up facts about his departure.
     

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