Steelers have Franchise tagged Bell

Looks like they went with the tag. I am assuming to make sure he is healed???

http://www.steelers.com/news/articl...-on-Bell/3e6e65fa-81dd-4364-a799-545ee66a1819

 

love it......

 

Barring a signed contract, Bell would have become a free agent

Barring a signed contract, Bell would have become a free agent on March 1st. Franchise tagging him gives them until mid-July to work out a long term contract. If that doesn't happen, he plays out the year at $12+ million. Think at the moment they are all in on signing AB long term, and once thats done they can concentrate on Bell.

 

Glad they're getting this done, but damn we have 50 million tied up in the 3 b's.

 

Old news, just a formality. They said they would do this a long time ago. Now they get at minimum a year at a good rate and they have time to try to get him to agree to a contract.

 

And there's 23 other letters to go. Or something like that.

 

Good. Let him play out the year,ALL year and stay clean, then sign him to a deal next season providing he can stay clean. Injuries happen. They need badly to provide a change of pace back can't Run the Wheels off anymore Tomlin.

 

I thought they slapped the Exclusive Rights tag on him, is that different from the Franchise tag? Exclusive rights means he gets the average of the top 5 at his position.

 

so I guess Exclusive Rights is the same as Franchise tag. Never heard it called that But there is also a non-exclusive version of the Franchise tag. Didn't know that either.

 

But the 3 B's helped us win - what 8 or 9 in a row this season and the minute one B went down, the team fell apart. We may never have three caliber players like this for a long time. The D is young and not as expensive yet. Good priorities I think.

 

Exclusive = No other team can make him a contract offer
Non-exclusive = Other teams can make Bell a contract offer. The Steelers have the right to match. If Bell signs with another team, the Steelers get 2 1st round picks as compensation.

The amount the player gets is no different. Teams often use the non-exclusive if they're hoping someone offers the player a deal so they can get 2 1st round picks

 

Terrible timing by Steelers management. Stupid. Should have signed him to a long term deal when he was suspended, when his market value was lowest.
When Adrian Peterson gets released, the highest paid RB will be getting $8.5 million a year. the Steelers will be paying $3.5 million MORE for the franchise tag than the HIGHEST paid RB in the league. He might have signed for $5-6 million a year back when he was suspended. Half of what we're paying now.

 

Most tagged players sign a new long term deal before the july 15 deadline, tagging a player just gives them extra time to negotiate a new contract, so there was nothing stupid about tagging bell...

 

I get what you're saying but Bell and his agents would never have signed a deal that low.... Expect Bell to sign a deal making him the Leagues highest paid RB next offseason if he stays healthy and out of trouble ...... Now if we draft a RB in Rd 3 and Bell gets injured and the Rookie plays very well they may let him explore FA next year....... You just never know what the future holds...

Cajun

 

Why would we risk signing a guy who just got suspened, why give a troubled guy money? Also what makes you think he would have signed that, don't you think his agent would have advised him against that? Bell has said he wanted to get paid, there is no way he signs for 5-6 mil...no way. Also if you think teams aren't lined up to sign Bell for 12 mil your nuts, I would be willing to bet he would have gotten closer to 15 mil if he hit the open market, jmo

 

He does have a point kinda..... Exclude AD the highest paid RB is 8.5 and with the Tag the Steelers are saying new deal negotiations Start at 12.2(est.) per year ... Why exceed the top guys by such a large amount?? Brown's new deal makes him 2mil a year above the previous top paid guy !!!!

Glad we're paying our guys but remember we have other guys Too and limited money!!

Cajun

 

I'm inclined to think they will give him a new contract before the july 15 deadline, if not, bell could refuse their new deal and force them to tag him again next year with a 20% pay increase and just play the tag game with them and make 27 mill on 2 tags....

 

I just took a look at teams cap space..... The jags have 71mil available... WOW!!! Then I looked at teams that have good rosters, competitive , that would be attractive to Bell, that has more space than we do....

Pats=60mil, Skins 58 mil, Colts 54 mil, Raiders 44 mil, Broncos 43 mil , Fins 42 mil ,.... Oh no!!!

We had 24 mil ..... If Bell hit FA a bidding war breaks out and we loose.....

We paid too much But we had no choice!!!

Cajun

 

We didn't pay too much, we paid the average rate of the top 5 salaries, he's a top 5 talent so how can you say we paid too much?????

 

I think the Steelers won't be in such a rush with Bell, I think they are still a little worried about his off field stuff and I can see a new deal this time next year. IMO, I like this move by the Steelers no need to sign him right away let's wait and see what if anything happens with him in the offseason, right?

 

I heard the Clowns have 100 mil cap space......100 mil, wow. You point out these teams who have good rosters and how much space they have and then we look at our space(which is good) and they double our space. I don't feel we paid to much for Bell and I like the idea of the tag. Don't get me wrong I want to see Bell signed long term but I think this is a way for the Steelers to make sure Bell is serious in the offseason about staying clean, jmo.

 

His combine 40 was 4.60.... Kinda slow and since then he had had a mid foot injury and a devastating knee injury where his MCL and PCL had to be surgery fixed.... He has No break away speed or a threat to break one. He still runs with a limp. Now a groin sprain. He is a product of our OL and its blocking scheme.... His Fran tag price is high due to an inflated salary of Petersen who is All World. He's 6mil per year above all others.

These factors say 12mil per year for Bell is too high.

His production is good and his abilities in the pass game is exceptional which coupled with a possible bidding war that would really overprice him made it a necessary evil.

We have to sign other guys too like Tuitt, Shazier, Cockrell ,
A.V. , and others ....

I didn't mention he's been suspended Twice...... Risky player

I'm glad he's here but worried

Cajun

 

Actually you picked his highest 40 time out of 2 which he ran a low of 4.4, but he was also running at a heavier weight then as well, heres his 2 clocked 40 times that averaged out to a 4.5 40 time which is fast for a back:

40 Low: 4.46 40 Time: 4.56 40 High:4.67

 

I agree about being worried and that is why the tag is smart, make him prove he is clean this offseason. yeah we do have others to lock up but none bigger then our 3 B's which without them we are screwed.

I am not sure what his 40 time at the combine or his injuries have anything to do with his contract, he has earned it. Look what he just did this year missing 3 games, every player is a rish when it comes to injury but when Bell is on the field we are so much better of a team. As for the oline, yeah they are good no question but the oline don't make Bell great I think it is a two way street. Just look how "great" we are without Bell in the game and Dwill playing........

McCoy is making 8 mil a year, Stewart and Martin 7+, Charles just under 7 mil....no way we over paid for Bell.