Le’Veon Bell addressed his impending free agency today, deviating a bit from his previous remarks. Or at least providing some clarity. The top-tier running back expressed a desire to remain in Pittsburgh after his rookie contract expires.
“I want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler,” Bell said, via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. “We’re going to try to do whatever it takes to make that happen.”
This comes more than a week after Bell said he has not been paying attention to his contract but focusing on the Steelers’ playoff push. The Steelers are expected to apply the franchise tag to their top UFA, provided they cannot work out a deal before free agency. It might be a complex negotiation given Bell’s history, his ability when healthy, and the contract he’ll likely be seeking.
Having successfully returned from the torn MCL that spoiled his 2015 season, Bell has two substance-abuse suspensions on his record and but also two standout campaigns. This one has been his finest on a per-game basis. The superstar back averaged a career-best 157.0 yards from scrimmage in 12 games this season and will finish with 1,884 and nine touchdowns. He totaled 2,215 and 11 TDs in 2014, but those numbers came in 16 games. The 24-year-old runner will not play in the Steelers’ finale against the Browns.
The franchise tag will cost the Steelers $12.37MM. The team is expected to possess approximately $36.9MM in cap space this offseason. Bell will undoubtedly be eyeing the eight-figure-per-year threshold — a standard only Adrian Peterson ($14MM-plus per year) surpasses on a deal the Vikings will almost certainly either renegotiate or free themselves from in 2017. LeSean McCoy‘s $8MM-AAV deal leads all other ball-carriers, but Bell’s numbers have eclipsed Shady’s on a per-year basis during the former’s four years in the NFL.
Please resign him. Do whatever just make sure he doesn’t leave
They’ll get it done. They always get it done when they need to. Only a few ‘skip town’ but almost all found better success with Pgh.
Yea I know they will I just hate the idea of him playing elsewhere haha
He’s with every penny. While RBs come and go these days, he’s unique.
His durability and substnce abuse has to be acknowledged…he’s risky in that regard