Bell to report to Steelers during bye week
- Thread starter PennStateNate
- Start date
From what I understand, the Steelers will have the option to designate him as not in physical shape and can keep him out for two more weeks without pay. If the season is in the toilet, I can see them doing this.
From the Tribune Review:
How long can he hold out?: Per the CBA, Bell can miss up to 10 games and still be credited with a full season toward free agency. However, he does not get credited for any time if he is placed on the exempt list, and the Steelers are permitted to seek a two-week exemption after Bell signs his franchise tag.
What is at stake financially?: For each week Bell remains absent, he will lose out on a check worth approximately $855,000. Players are paid for 17 weeks of the NFL season — 16 games and a bye week. For each week Bell misses, that $855,000 would be credited toward the Steelers’ salary cap.
What is the Steelers recourse once Bell reports?: They can apply for a two-week roster exemption once Bell signs his franchise tag. Per the CBA, the Steelers do not have to pay Bell for either of those two weeks while he is exempt. They also could opt to pay him while he is exempt.
How long can he hold out?: Per the CBA, Bell can miss up to 10 games and still be credited with a full season toward free agency. However, he does not get credited for any time if he is placed on the exempt list, and the Steelers are permitted to seek a two-week exemption after Bell signs his franchise tag.
What is at stake financially?: For each week Bell remains absent, he will lose out on a check worth approximately $855,000. Players are paid for 17 weeks of the NFL season — 16 games and a bye week. For each week Bell misses, that $855,000 would be credited toward the Steelers’ salary cap.
What is the Steelers recourse once Bell reports?: They can apply for a two-week roster exemption once Bell signs his franchise tag. Per the CBA, the Steelers do not have to pay Bell for either of those two weeks while he is exempt. They also could opt to pay him while he is exempt.
Their crazy.
I mean they lost Sunday, but is their a dominant team in the AFC? Steelers beat Atlanta who isn’t very good and they are right back in it.
After watching the offense, they should just sign him and be done with it.
It has nothing to do with signing him now. That time is past. They are no longer ale to negotiate with him. In order for Bell to play, he has to sign the franchise tender.
If they lose the next two weeks, then they are essentially out of it.
Until your mathematically eliminated you are never out of it.
A few years ago they were 4-5 and on here people wanted to trade everyone. The Steelers won their last 7.
Their is nobody on their schedule that is a sure loss.
I’ll add the fact he is reporting is a good sign. I’ll say Steelers will extend him at seasons end and this will all be forgotten.
I disagree. For one, Bell will not be a Steeler next year, unless they match the highest offer he gets in free agency. They have the option to tag him again, but would have to pay him 30 million per season. Not going to happen. So there is no "extension".
He made this announcement to further complicate the Steeler's efforts in trying to trade him. Now these teams know that he will not be reporting until week 7. The Steelers bargaining power goes down. Bell has done a hell of a screw job here.
1. Who honestly thinks Bell will give it his all upon his return? He is clearly worried about injuries, so I would expect him to be extremely cautious (especially after what happened to earl Thomas on Sunday)....
2. The Steelers may choose to Transition Tag Bell, which could totally screw him. If the Steelers do that, an NFL team would have to sign him in the hopes that the Steelers wouldn't match, Steelers would have 7 days to match. I cant imagine very many teams willing to tie up that much cap space for 7 days not knowing if they will get to keep him since the NFL free agency for all the top players is done in 48 hours....
My prediction is that he is a Jet next season by the way...
2. The Steelers may choose to Transition Tag Bell, which could totally screw him. If the Steelers do that, an NFL team would have to sign him in the hopes that the Steelers wouldn't match, Steelers would have 7 days to match. I cant imagine very many teams willing to tie up that much cap space for 7 days not knowing if they will get to keep him since the NFL free agency for all the top players is done in 48 hours....
My prediction is that he is a Jet next season by the way...
If the Steelers fall out of contention, they should hand the ball off to Bell 35 plays in a row every week.
I don't see Bell being there next season either and anyone who thinks all of his actions will just be forgotten is not being realistic.
I get the emotion in being a fan, but until contracts in football are fully guaranteed my sympathy will always be with the player. Bell got the ball 400 times last season. If you look at the history of players who have received that kind of work load, it severely limits their durability. It’s a brutal game for running backs, not just professionally but medically later in life. The Steelers offered Bell less than market value in terms of guaranteed money. The season shows the team needs Bell badly. Connor is a great story, but Bell is at a whole different level. The team and Bell both gambled and the player is winning.
How about trying to trade Bell (once he signs) and a 3rd to Eagles for Foles. Release Ben over the offseason and use the salary cap space to sign an impact defensive player?
The Steelers have 10 games to play after the bye week. Thus, no matter what their record is at the bye week they could still contend for a playoff spot. This is a dilemma for the Steelers. Kiss Bell's a$$ and potentially have a world class RB or continue with lead-footed Connor. If Chuck Noll and Art Rooney Sr. were still around both Bell and Flaky Antonio Brown would be gone. However, the current management will likely kiss Bell's a$$.
Sounds like a good plan to me. Big Ben is over the hill and will be even worse next year. He hasn't aged like Brady.
Maybe he'll get his 3rd substance abuse violation and none of this will matter.
Can Bell cover anyone? Pittsburgh could be 1-5-1 when he gets back!
Pittsburgh has a lot and I mean a lot of issues, Bell is just one of them.
Their. They’re. You’re. Your.
I passed it by on your first post, but couldn’t stop myself after this one.
Come on . . . Really? This is as bad as the incessant “should OF” instead of “should HAVE” posts that are a daily occurrence on this board. Yeah, yeah, tell me I’m from the grammar police. This is just basic 4th grade English and is embarrassing.
Nothing personal.
He’s only produced 396 yards out of the team’s 1355 this year - third most productive offense in the league.
But you’re absolutely right - the Steelers should pour $20M in cap space into Bell because that surely will fix the problems on defense. And guarantee all of it so when he gets his next weed bust they’re out $20M while he sits at home suspended.
+1. The Steelers have a lot of "issues" Conner is not one of them. Maybe they could try drafting some actual LB'rs and Secondary and get a HC that doesn't let the inmates run they asylum and DC that has a clue.
I was no fan of Haley but he was not the problem last year.
Conner is not in the same league. That's easy to see if you watch one of the games. Serviceable.
Sounds as though the Steelers are contemplating using the transition tag on Bell.
The good: they will be able to match any offers Bell receives. The bad: If the Steelers don't match an offer, they receive no compensation from the league. (you receive a 3rd rounder if you lose a franchise tagged player).
Sounds as though the Steelers are contemplating using the transition tag on Bell.
The good: they will be able to match any offers Bell receives. The bad: If the Steelers don't match an offer, they receive no compensation from the league. (you receive a 3rd rounder if you lose a franchise tagged player).
I agree, he's not but he's also not the problem. The problem is 85% on the Defensive side. And was last year as well.
So what do they do? Fire the OC and keep the idiot DC.
Actually he is one of the "Issues". Especially when you are defending Conner as compared to Bell. Teams devote more players and energy to defending Bell, leaving more space for Brown, James and Ju Ju to work.I agree, he's not but he's also not the problem. The problem is 85% on the Defensive side. And was last year as well.
So what do they do? Fire the OC and keep the idiot DC.
I'd like to see you tell that to him to his face, Nate! On a daily basis, you continue to show a lack of awareness of everything that is amazing but stupifying!
I heard this past week that seven or eight of the defensive starters are No. 1 or 2 draft picks. They have drafted for defense in the past several years, but the picks largely have been disappointments or outright busts. I'm not even that high on Watt. Also, losing Shazier on an already below-average defense was a killer.
Maybe it's time that Colbert be reevaluated. The Steelers' strength, which is patience, sometimes can be a weakness.
+1 with everything you said. And yea losing Shazier was huge he's the only good LB'r they drafted in the last 10 years.
I was not a Timmons or Jarvis fan and I'm not a Dupree or Watt fan.
And I won't even get into the draft choices in the secondary. ughhh.
I don’t get why people don’t understand this. Not having Bell has really hurt the receiving core. Brown especially.
I know it sucks putting that much into a player, but when Bell plays he is the best RB in football and top 5 overalls in the league.
He probably should beat everyone else up too. Even James Harrison who basically said the same thing.
The guy is great story but is not a starting RB.
My point is that the offense is, for the most part, not the problem. Regardless of what you think of Conner or Bell's impact on the offense, that's not why they're losing games.
They scored 42 in a playoff game AT HOME last year and lost. They led the Browns by 14 to start the fourth quarter and tied. They scored 37 AT HOME with no turnovers (KC) and lost - first time in league history. They damn near lost at Tampa Bay after leading for most of the game.
The Steelers have not had a great secondary since Carnell Lake played. In the intervening time the DL and LB were good enough to pressure the QB that it covered it up, unless you played Brady. Now the DL and LB are suspect and we see the results weekly.
Add to that he is 27 and how much much tread left on his tires after all of his injuries and touches? He has 3 years tops left in his career. It's time to let him walk and draft a successor next year.
