Bell....

Why would the Steelers cut Bell 1 or 2 years into the deal? Like I said, the only way something like that would have happened is if Bell got himself suspended again. If it was just an injury thing Steelers would honor the contract.

 

I doubt that. The reason for not guaranteeing the money is to protect yourself. A bad injury is far worse than a 2 game suspension for smoking weed...

 

Steelers have been pretty stand up about honor contracts for injured players. Just ask Ryan Shazier.

 

He's still on his rookie contract and all they did was extend his 4th year option which only cost them 8 million if he cant play football anymore. That doesnt compare to large money bell wants.

 

So Bell goes out and snaps his spine in year one of his deal, and in your opinion The Steelers cut him? Have you been a fan of the Steelers for very long? Sure doesn't sound like the Steelers I know.

 

So then what is the reason they wasnt willing to gurantee his money. If you plan to give him that money anyway why not guarantee it?

 

Its all semantics. He was guaranteed 33 million over the first 2 years. Sure its not a "signing bonus", but like I said it was a front loaded contract. The Steelers may very well have structured the deal the way they did due to salary cap concerns.

 

Because if he goes out and smokes weed, beats his girlfriend or kills some dogs they are on the hook for 45 mill for a running back who isn't employed by anyone with no way to recoup that lost income,

 

Bell is not worth what Gurley just got. Frankly, I was disappointed that our FO offered that contract to him to begin with in the offseason.

He is among the best pass catching backs in the league. I’ll give him that.

But other than that, I don’t think he understands how much pressure is off of him with an all-pro QB and WR. Along with a top 5 offensive line.

I truly believe that we can find someone that will be making 12-14 million less than Bell will be making next year and will still be able to have one of the best offenses.

Bell doesn’t have homerun speed. He will almost certainly not play with an offensive line as good as the Steelers next year.

The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. At some points in life, a relationship can end without it being anyone’s fault. Bell wants money he feels he deserves and I truly hope the Steelers FO doesn’t pay that.

Will there be a drop off? Absolutely. But can they find a younger guy that can be adequate enough to shoulder the load? I believe so with out line.

Just take into account of everyone else we have coming down the line contract wise that won’t be able to get paid, if we give Bell $15 mill a year? We have won before with no name RB’s. Last I checked we haven’t won squat with Bell yet. Can’t put all the blame on him but he has seemed to miss a couple playoffs from not staying healthy.

Edit: and from everything I have watched, Samuels seems to handle himself very well as a pass catching back.

 

I'm pretty sure he wanted 30 million at least guranteed. What cap problems than cause you claim he was getting that the first 2 years.

 

Kills dogs or hits his gf? When has he been associated with those acts?

 

I'm just playing your what if game. Since you still haven't given any examples of the Steelers cutting a player they gave a huge extension to in the first three years of the deal. You what if about injuries as a reason. It's pointed out how this franchise handles injuries such as Shaker and you shrug it off as irrelevant . So if we're going to discuss what ifs, let's talk what if he pulls a Vick or a Rice. Is he giving that money back?

 

What-if game? Yeah, what if the Steelers give him a 100% guaranteed contract..... and bell fails a drug test before the season starts...... 70m out the window. He has to be accountable for his own actions, and with his past..... he'll have some contract concessions to make..... Sorry, Bell is NOT a squeaky clean candidate for guaranteed money.

 

We can only go to recent as the last cpl years as this is a different nfl. Players back then werent holding out and going lengths to get the money like were now. You had a few but not like you do now. Players overall in all sports are gaining more control over things than they used to have. And why are you comparing one year of shazier for 8 million to the steelers guranteeing leveon 30 million or more? And then you tell me why they wont gurantee those first 3 years. He still is getting money regardless because according to you long as he doesn't hit anyone or do anything to get himself suspended he will get the money regardless of if he gets injured or starts to decline. It's also been pointed out that like ne the Steelers are just a team who doesn't give all that upfront money. That's fine but why would blame him for trying to go elsewhere for getting his money. I dont think pitt is wrong they have the right to do what they feel is best but then you fans shouldn't sit here and act like he was wrong for not taking 10 million giranteed when he can EASILY get way more than that guranteed on the open market.

 

According to Pittsburgh. He's fine with that obviously as he and his agent have already said he wont be back. My problem is all you acting like it's a problem for him to try to get money on the market he know he can get that pitt wasnt willing to offer. 10 million guranteed was a joke for him so if someone is willing to give him much more than that how is he wrong for going elsewhere? But you're the same fans who think everything steelers is right and they do now wrong. No objectivity.

 

So clearly Bell's top priority is not being a Steeler or winning a Super Bowl. Bell's top priority is getting the largest possible amount of money he can squeeze out of any team. My point is you can not blame the Steelers here. Steelers offered Bell 16.5 mil a year over the first 2 years of the deal. Thats 2 mil more than the tag was. The contract was front loaded, and over the length of the contract was a better deal than the one Gurley just signed. I dont blame the Steelers for not guaranteeing the $45 mil Gurley got. Bell has proven himself not to be trustworthy. Again, thats on Bell. Bell has acted like a petulant child since hes been here. A contract works both ways. The Steelers have the right to protect themselves also.

 

Bottom line is they made Bell two very nice contract offers in back to back seasons that any other RB in the league would've blown out their knees racing towards. He turned his nose at both. He wants to bet on himself that's all fine and dandy. I'd rather someone else pay him and take the burden off of this team which needs to focus in other areas financially.

Obviously Gurley has just upped the ante for the RB position which will undoubtedly lead to Bell needing even more in his mind. Without looking at the numbers, I would presume the Rams are in better cap shape than the Steelers however stand to hamstring themselves as another astronomical deal is in the wings for the Don. Awful lot of money to throw at Todd for one pretty damn good year but I guess he's younger with a hell of a lot less mileage and comes without the dummy/injury bug our kid has had throughout his career.
That makes Gurley the better bet for a franchises future in my opinion.

I'm glad Bell dissed the offer and think the team will be better for it ultimately...

 

Bell is 1 failed drug away from being out of the league. He is immature, I dont think I need to give examples to anybody that has their eyes open. He has played games with the Steelers FO on what he wanted. Everytime they get even close to his deal, he turns it down and increases what he wants. Anybody that has been a Steeler fan for any length of time, knows you dont hold the Rooneys hostage. NO ONE is bigger than the organization. I wanted him in the black and gold for a long time but I am sick of the drama. Not showing up to training camp, not showing up to meetings, rap videos about what you what and blah blah blah. Trade him now for a 1st round pick from somebody and send him up the road.

 

And bell doesn't have the right to protect himself?

 

Gurley does have an injury history. And we cant compare bell to anyone else in the league. First team all pro last yr and voted by HIS PEERS that hes a top 5 player and the best back in football...

 

A lot of the same babble coming out on this post. Babble, slightly different than squeaking.

 

You're right he tore his knee in college. According to the Internet... Since then a mild case of turf toe and an ankle sprain. 44 games played in 3 seasons out of a possible 48 regular season games.

L. Bell 62 games played in 5 seasons out of a possible 80 regular season games. Lisfranc, concussion, 2 knee injuries, groin sports hernia surgery. 5 games total I believe for being a dumb ass as well.

I won't dispute the fact that he's a stud. However, he's a stud with baggage either way you cut it. The steelers offered him the highest paid RB position in the league and he spat on it! It's not about them being cheap or disingenuous with him. They have a business to run or so I'm told. They offered a solid contract(s) plain and simple with other needs glaring in the now and in the near future. It's a win financially for Bell's desire to over rule his common sense. I don't understand why any fan would see it any other way. Had the dummy signed a trend setting deal prior to last season there might've been a better avenue to walk this past free agency period (although I know they rarely go big either way).

Bells a hell of an athlete with a ton of mileage and a few question marks in a position not known to be lengthy career wise. He's stupid for not taking the deal but I'll personally be thankful for the fact that this team won't be the team that pays out the nose for him and ends up with buyers remorse. He's just not a solid gamble for multiple reasons that have all been hashed and rehashed tirelessly here on a fan page much less on the big boy stage.

As far as how his peers vote etc... That's all fine and dandy. We already knew he was a beast. However that beasts numbers dropped with an increased load as well as his increased gum bumping dropping the number of folks feeling sorry for his perception of feeling disrespected and being painted a victim. Enough with that **** already. Theyve gone just as far without him as they have with him and the bigger need is Defense and future contracts not bells preferred salary.

All that said I hope he helps get our guys a ring this season and bye bye

 

A right to protect himself? What is he in danger of exactly?

He has every right to shoot himself in the foot... As well as leave a team with buyers remorse over his perceived self worth and ****ty economics theory. Conversely speaking every team has the right to not award this protection you speak of but there's a dummy out there waiting with baited breath no doubt.

He is not above the team and that's just that. Problem with folks like that is people come out of nowhere buying into this notion that he's not being taken care of when in all honesty he's trying to price himself off of a team that he does not want to be a part of. They offered him HIGHEST PAID RB TWICE!!!!!!!!!! Most recently in a year that saw his numbers drop, his jaws pop and his team go home early after a game he showed up late too and didn't give a **** about prepping for in walk throughs.

He turned it down. He don't want to be here... Pretty simple.

Protection? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

Wished they could, can't be traded until he signs his tag and suitor wants to absorb it and give him what he wants

 

Sorry Jeh I tried to liven it up but it is what it is