Checking In On Le’Veon Bell
The deadline for franchise tendered players to sign extensions with their respective clubs is six days away. If the Steelers and Le’Veon Bell cannot agree to a long-term deal by Monday, then they will not be able to discuss a multi-year deal again until next offseason. In that event, Bell would play out the 2017 season on a one-year, $12.12MM deal. 
The Steelers would like to lock up Bell for years to come since he is a cornerstone of their offense and one of the league’s very best running backs. At the same time, Bell’s camp is likely looking to push the market for the position and the Steelers only want to go so far.
Currently, LeSean McCoy leads the way for NFL running backs when it comes to total value thanks to the five-year, $40MM+ deal he signed with the Bills in 2015. His average annual value ($8MM+) is also the highest of any running back on a multi-year contract and the full guarantee of $18.25MM at signing stands as the watermark for tailbacks.
One can’t blame Bell for looking to top those totals. One also can’t blame the Steelers for being a bit hesitant, particularly when considering Bell’s spotty off-the-field track record and the typically short shelf life of running backs. To borrow an analogy from the late Patrice O’Neal – running backs get old like bread, not like wine. If a multi-year deal comes together, it will probably include an escape hatch to allow the Steelers to break away after three years with minimal penalties.
Bell would certainly like the security of a long-term deal, but he also has plenty of incentive to bet on himself. If he turns in the kind of outstanding campaign that we’re all expecting, he’ll be looking at either a reprise of the franchise tag next year with a 20% bump, or he’ll be the most talented running back to hit the free agent market in recent memory. For Bell to forego that opportunity, he’ll need cashflow upwards of $26MM (the value of the two consecutive franchise tags) between 2017 and 2018. At least 75% of that sum will also need to be fully guaranteed at signing.
Turning down the Steelers’ best offer before the Monday deadline does come with some risk, but it’s a gamble with a high floor. Even if Bell were to never earn another NFL dollar beyond the 2017 season, the $12MM+ payout could theoretically have him and his family taken care of for the rest of his life.
The Steelers want to keep Bell for the long haul and Bell wants to remain with the Steelers. Still, a lot will have to change in the next six days for the two sides to hammer something out.
NFC West Notes: Cardinals, 49ers, Rams
Cardinals running back David Johnson says that he is paying close attention to Le’Veon Bell‘s contract negotiations with hopes that he’ll get a big payday. Johnson feels that things are about to change for top running backs and believes that big money is on the way.
“I feel like, especially now, with the running backs we have in this league, we’re going to definitely change the mentality of the running back and those contract deals,” Johnson told Andy Benoit of The MMQB. “We’re going to definitely make it [understood] that running backs are more important than you’d think. Everyone thinks it’s a passing league, but I think running backs are starting to show up and show out and prove that you need a good one to be a capable team.”
Unfortunately for Johnson, teams are still paying close attention to the odometers on running backs and it’s hard to net a monster deal after you’ve already logged a certain number of NFL carries. There are exceptions, but the perception remains that running backs are fungible with a limited shelf life and that impacts their pay day.
Here’s more from the NFC West:
- Former NFL running back Glen Coffee will be participating in Saturday’s Spring League Showcase, Mike Florio of PFT writes. The 29-year-old was a former third round pick of the 49ers who retired after one NFL season. He announced earlier this year that he would be attempting a comeback. Given his age and time away from the game, he’ll really have to impress scouts in order to get a camp invite.
- New Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth is the best newcomer to the NFC West this year, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com argues. Whitworth takes over for failed former No. 2 overall pick Greg Robinson and should give Jared Goff better protection on his blindside. Whitworth is 36, but he has three Pro Bowls on his resume and is considered to be one of the game’s very best tackles.
- Seahawks cornerback DeShawn Shead is likely to begin the year on the PUP list.
Chiefs Name Brett Veach As GM
The Chiefs have promoted executive Brett Veach to the role of GM. Veach is now the seventh GM in franchise history. 
“After a comprehensive search process, I am pleased to announce that we have hired Brett Veach to serve as the next General Manager of the Kansas City Chiefs,” Chairman/CEO Clark Hunt said in a press release. “Brett has a sharp football mind, a tremendous work ethic and a keen eye for finding talent. Over the last four seasons he’s played a critical role in building our football team. I look forward to working with him to continue to build on the strong foundation we have in place.”
The Chiefs, to the shock of the football world, found themselves with a GM vacancy this summer when they fired John Dorsey. From the get-go, Veach was identified as a frontrunner for the job. After considering other internal candidates plus some out-of-house types, the Chiefs have found their man.
Veach will report directly to Hunt on all player personnel matters, according to the team. Only time will tell whether that will be the true chain of command in Kansas City. It appears that coach Andy Reid had a good amount of say when it came to the 53-man roster and Veach will probably have to negotiate between his own vision for the team and what Reid wants to do. Fortunately for Veach, he has plenty of experience in that department. The two have a relationship that goes back several years to their time in Philadelphia, including a stint where Veach served as a coaching assistant for Reid.
Before deciding on Veach, the Chiefs also considered co-director of player personnel Mike Borgonzi. Titans director of player personnel Ryan Cowden and Seahawks co-diretor of player personnel Scott Fitterer were among the outside candidates to interview for the job. Vikings assistant GM George Paton turned down the team’s request to interview and ESPN analyst Louis Riddick was reportedly in the running, though he denied that he was interested in the position.
Latest On Eagles, RB Ryan Mathews
Upon signing running back LeGarrette Blount, the Eagles decided that they would be moving on from Ryan Mathews. Nearly two months later, Mathews remains on the roster. Now, it seems we’re at least two weeks away from a resolution on the matter. 
Mathews’ neck injury will be evaluated when veterans report to camp later this month, Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News tweets. If Mathews can pass a physical, the Eagles can release him without being on the hook for injury protection. The Eagles are not interested in releasing him before that point, because they would have to pay out an extra $1.15MM otherwise, leaving them with a $2.15MM cap charge when factoring in the dead money on his deal. By waiting until he passes the exam, however, the Eagles will be left with just $1MM on the cap while saving $4MM.
Mathews‘ season ended in December when he suffered the painful neck injury. Even with that injury plus the MCL sprain he was dealing with, he still managed to turn in an okay season. In 13 games, he had 661 yards off of 155 carries for an average of 4.3 yards per attempt. He also had eight rushing touchdowns plus 13 catches for 115 yards.
With Mathews out of the picture, the Eagles plan to use Blount, Darren Sproles, and Wendell Smallwood as their top backs. Fourth-round pick Donnel Pumphrey and Byron Marshall are also on the 90-man roster.
Steelers Notes: Bell, Shazier, Williams
Don’t be surprised if the Steelers and running back Le’Veon Bell need the full seven days between now and the deadline to reach terms on an extension, Ray Fittpaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette opines. Bell would like the security of a long-term deal and the Steelers would like some cost certainty, but finding middle ground could be a challenge.
If Bell is willing to bet on himself and his health, he is pretty much looking at a $26MM worst-case scenario by playing on two consecutive franchise tags between this year ($12.12MM) and next ($~14MM). Or, alternatively, the Steelers could allow him to test the open market next year where he would almost certainly top the $18.25MM guaranteed at signing in LeSean McCoy‘s contract. If Bell’s team is pushing for something around $31MM in cash flow between 2017 and 2018, and that’s a number the Steelers are probably uncomfortable with. As the deadline draws near, however, each side could bend a bit to find a compromise.
Here’s more from Pittsburgh:
- Steelers Ryan Shazier is entering a potential contract year, but he says that’s far from his only motivation to perform. “I just want to have a full year in general just for myself,” said Shazier (via ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler). “I feel like I have the capability of being one of the best players in the NFL. People can’t really see what I can do when I’m not on the field. Your best ability is availability.” The Steelers exercised the linebacker’s fifth-year option for 2018, but that is guaranteed for injury only. Shazier has turned in back-to-back seasons of 87 tackles and 3.5 sacks for Pittsburgh. For his work last year, Pro Football Focus ranked Shazier as the 32nd best linebacker in the NFL last year, tying him with Mark Barron of the Rams and Danny Trevathan of the Bears. There’s no question that he has been a quality player, but he is looking to take a big leap in 2017. If he takes his game to the next level this year, there will be little question about whether the Steelers will trigger his one-year, $8.718MM option.
- Former Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams made his pro wrestling debut earlier this month, but he says he still wants to continue playing in the NFL. He’s also not ruling out a return to Pittsburgh, but the Steelers’ current level of interest is unknown.
- Will the Steelers be among the 2016 division winners to miss out on the postseason this year? Click here to cast your vote.
NFC East Notes: Eagles, Staley, Cowboys
Eagles running backs coach Duce Staley enjoys his job, but he also feels that he is ready to get a chance to be an offensive coordinator somewhere. “Yeah, definitely,” Staley told CSNPhilly.com’s Reuben Frank.
“You never know how that works for you. I do know that you wait on those opportunities and hopefully those chances will come. If not, I love what I’m doing. Can’t say anything bad about what I’m doing. I love it. That’s when you know it’s not a job…I live vicariously through my players, still, to this day. I catch them out there running and making moves and I catch my knees shaking a little bit, I’m making the move with them. You can’t replace that feeling.”
Staley started out on Andy Reid‘s staff and was promoted to RB coach under Chip Kelly. He kept that job under Doug Pederson, making him the only coach to be a part of all three coaching regimes in Philly. Since Staley became the Eagles’ running backs coach in 2013, the Eagles have posted the fifth-most rushing yards in the NFL (8,114). Staley certainly has a strong resume to work with if he gets calls for OC jobs next offseason.
More from the NFC East:
- If Dak Prescott were to suffer an injury that keeps him out of action for a serious stretch of time, the Cowboys could be motivated to go shopping for a quarterback, Kate Hairopoulos of the Dallas Morning News writes. Cowboys coaches continue to sing the praises of Kellen Moore, saying that they have confidence in his football IQ and ability to lead the team. However, he has played in just three games as he enters his sixth season in the league. If the Cowboys have to forge on without Prescott for some reason, they may want to go for a more dynamic quarterback with more on-field experience.
- More from Hairopoulos, who wonders if Alfred Morris‘ roster spot with the Cowboys may actually be in jeopardy. Morris, of course, offers serious veteran talent behind Ezekiel Elliott and Darren McFadden, but his inability to really contribute on special teams can hurt him. Earlier in the offseason, exec Stephen Jones said that “in a perfect world,” your third running back would be helping out in the third facet of the game. So far, we’ve heard positive talk about undrafted free agent Jahad Thomas and he could theoretically wind up as the team’s No. 3 running back. Then again, if Elliott winds up getting suspended by the the league office, the Cowboys may not be willing to lose a runner of Morris’ caliber.
- One surprising factor could steer Kirk Cousins towards staying with the Redskins long term.
- The Giants are not prioritizing a new deal for star Odell Beckham Jr.
Redskins Notes: Cousins, Sudfeld, McCoy
The latest on the Redskins:
- One potential factor in Kirk Cousins‘ long-term future with the Redskins will be the birth of his first child in September, ESPN.com’s John Keim writes. Both Cousins’ family and his wife’s are on the East Coast and that could help him lean towards remaining in Washington. That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t look to join up with another team like the Niners, but it could be a factor to keep him in D.C. if everything else is kosher between him and management and if a contract offer is to his liking. Still, the rumblings about Cousins being unhappy with the Redskins have only grown louder this summer. Keim still does not see the quarterback signing a new deal with the Redskins before the deadline later this month.
- Rich Tandler of CSNMidAtlantic.com is confident that the Redskins will carry three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, meaning that Nate Sudfeld‘s job is safe. However, things may get interesting during the year if Cousins is not signed long term and the team is out of contention. In that scenario, the Redskins may want to get Sudfeld on the field to find out what they have in him. Colt McCoy, the team’s No. 2 QB, could also be a candidate to step into the starting role in 2018 if Cousins goes and he might not be thrilled about getting leapfrogged. McCoy is under contract with the team through ’18.
- More from Tandler, who looks way down the road to preview the Redskins’ defensive core in the 2020 season. He has first round defensive end Jonathan Allen listed as a “blue chip” player for Washington three years down the road, alongside cornerback Josh Norman. Although Allen slid down draft boards due to concerns about his shoulders, that’s an issue that could catch up with him in five or six years, not three years, Tandler reasons. Of course, it’s a difficult exercise to project any team’s defense three years in advance and a whole lot can change between now and then.
Latest On Browns, Jabrill Peppers
Browns first rounder Jabrill Peppers is still without a contract. One of the primary reasons for that is because the two sides are still negotiating over the amount of guaranteed money in the deal, a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Rumors. 
[RELATED: Latest On Raiders’ Gareon Conley]
It might be easier for a deal to come together if Gareon Conley, the Raiders’ first round pick at No. 24, had his deal done. Without direct comps on either side of the Michigan product, there is a lot open to interpretation. Giants tight end Evan Engram (No. 23 overall) has a $1.55MM guarantee for his fourth season. Meanwhile, at No. 26, Falcons defensive end Takkarist McKinley is guaranteed just $900K. Peppers’ reps are probably pushing for something close to Engram’s fourth-year guarantee while the Browns see McKinley as the better comp.
Florio notes that last year’s No. 25 overall pick, Steelers cornerback Artie Burns, received an $800K roster bonus due on the third day of training camp in his fourth year in lieu of a partial guarantee. Peppers, based on that precedent, could be pushing for the same thing.
There are still seven unsigned first round picks as of this writing with five of those players in the top 10.
Offseason In Review: Arizona Cardinals
Last year, things didn’t exactly go according to plan for the Cardinals as they finished out 7-8-1, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2013. With little salary cap room to work with, it’s not exactly clear if the Cardinals have put themselves in position for a big turnaround.
Notable signings:
- Chandler Jones, LB: Five years, $82.5MM. $21MM guaranteed. Had been assigned franchise tag.
- Jermaine Gresham, TE: Four years, $28MM. $13MM guaranteed.
- Antoine Bethea, S: Three years, $12.75MM. $2MM guaranteed.
- Phil Dawson, K: Two years, $6MM. $1.5MM guaranteed.
- Jarvis Jones, LB: One year, $2.25MM. $1MM guaranteed.
- Karlos Dansby, LB: One year, $2MM. $750K guaranteed.
- A.Q. Shipley, C: Two years, $3.5MM. $725K guaranteed.
- Frostee Rucker, DL: One year, $1.08MM. $80K guaranteed.
- Andre Ellington, RB: One year, $905K. $80K guaranteed.
- Tony Bergstrom, C: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Blaine Gabbert, QB: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Jeremy Ross, WR: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Aaron Dobson, WR: One year, $615K.
- Jumal Rolle, CB: One year, $615K.
The Cardinals knew they’d have to pony up a massive deal when they acquired Chandler Jones via trade from the Patriots. This year, they applied the franchise tag to Jones but the two sides shook hands on a massive extension just days later. Jones’ new deal makes him the third-highest paid 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL, trailing only Von Miller and Justin Houston in terms of yearly average. When it comes to average guarantees per year, he’s in second place with $6.2MM, ahead of Houston. It wasn’t cheap to lock up Jones, but he is one of the league’s very best edge defenders and the market is only growing for those players. If Jones continues on this trajectory, it will all be worth it for Arizona. 
Considering the Cardinals’ cap situation, their four-year, $28MM deal for tight end Jermaine Gresham was a bit perplexing. Before the free agent market officially opened, I had Gresham ranked as the ninth-best option available. The 28-year-old (29 in June) had 37 catches for 391 yards last year, but he doesn’t offer much in the way of blocking. The good news is that the 29-year-old will only carry a $3.75MM cap number in 2017, but his contract doesn’t look so great after that. In 2018, the Cardinals are saddled with a $7.25MM cap number and releasing him ($9.25MM) isn’t really a viable option. In 2019, they’ll be stuck with $3.5MM if they release Gresham.
Free agent addition Antoine Bethea projects as the Cardinals’ starting strong safety, but he may have to duke it out with the team’s second round pick (more on him later). The soon-to-be 33-year-old did well for himself on this deal and the Cardinals are hoping that he will continue to be an above-average playmaker in the secondary. Bethea has started all 162 games he’s played since entering the league and he has 19 career interceptions to his name.
The Cardinals added two notable free agents to the linebacking group in Karlos Dansby and Jarvis Jones. Dansby returns to the Cardinals after spending the first six years of his career with them, plus the 2013 season. Dansby night not be a top 15 type like he was in 2013 and 2014, but he’s still quite productive even at his advanced age. The linebacker, 36 in November, had upwards of 100 tackles last year and finished out as Pro Football Focus’ 46th best linebacker out of 87 qualified players.
Jones, a former first round pick, has only posted six sacks in four NFL seasons. He recorded a career-high 43 tackles in 2016, however, and started nine games for the Steelers. He has not lived up to his draft status, but he is still a solid run defender and he could still have some untapped potential. With talented veterans in front of him, the Cardinals will only be using Jones on a limited basis, a role that might suit him well.
Not long ago, Andre Ellington was the main rusher in Arizona. Now, the emergence of David Johnson has pushed him down the pecking order. The Cardinals were exploring the idea of moving Ellington to wide receiver this year, but they abandoned that midway through the offseason. It’s still a good bet that Ellington will make the 53-man cut as a reserve behind Johnson.
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