Chiefs To Work Out WR Eli Rogers
It sounds like Kansas City is one of the teams that Eli Rogers could ultimately “choose” to sign with. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the wide receiver is scheduled to work out for the Chiefs tomorrow. The 25-year-old had indicated yesterday that he’d choose where he’d play the 2018 season within the next few days.
There hasn’t been a whole lot of reported interest in Rogers, whose 2018 campaign came to an end following a torn ACL in the Steelers’ divisional round loss to the Jaguars. However, as Schefter notes, the receiver has “made a strong and quicker-than-expected comeback,” perhaps indicating that he’ll be almost 100-percent by the time training camp rolls around. Rogers was non-tendered by Pittsburgh back in March, although reports at the time suggested that he’d likely return to the organization.
The 2015 undrafted free agent out of Louisville had a breakout season in 2016, compiling 48 receptions for 593 yards and three scores in 13 games (eight starts). Following the selection of JuJu Smith-Schuster during the 2017 draft, Rogers slid down the depth chart, and his numbers naturally took a step back. Rogers ended up finishing last season with 18 receptions for 149 yards, although he did manage to contribute as a punt returner.
The Chiefs are relatively stacked at wideout, so the team could be eyeing Rogers in the return game (especially if they intend to keep Tyreek Hill fresh). If Rogers wanted to contribute to the offense, he’d have to compete with the likes of Chris Conley, Demarcus Robinson, De’Anthony Thomas, and Jehu Chesson for reps behind Hill and Sammy Watkins.
Steelers Notes: Rudolph, Jones, Rogers
The Steelers‘ backup quarterback competition is one to watch this summer, Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes. Landry Jones has been a functional backup for the Steelers, but hasn’t been called upon in the last two years as Roethlisberger has been largely healthy. This year, rookie Mason Rudolph could supplant Jones as the No. 2 QB, leaving him one ill-fated play away from commanding the Steelers’ offense.
If Rudolph is as good as advertised, one can’t help but wonder if the Steelers could opt to carry two QBs instead of three, leaving Jones without a job. There has been no indication that Jones, who is entering his sixth NFL season, is on the bubble, but it may be something to keep in mind during training camp.
- Free agent wide receiver Eli Rogers says he’ll “choose” where he’ll be play within the next few days (Twitter link). Rogers has been waiting in limbo after undergoing knee surgery this offseason. Rogers was a surprise standout for the Steelers in 2016 as he caught 48 passes for 504 yards and three touchdowns and continued his strong play in the postseason. He couldn’t replicate those numbers last year, but the Steelers are still said to be interested in re-signing him.
The Steelers' Perspective On Bell
As good as Le’Veon Bell has been for the Steelers, Albert Breer of The MMQB sees both sides of the coin. Bell has been an electrifying force for years, but history dictates that the Steelers have probably seen the bulk of his prime already. With questions about whether Bell can continue to perform at such a high level for at least the next three years, the Steelers’ are right to have reservations about giving him significant guarantees on a long-term deal, Breer argues.
The Steelers’ final offer to Bell was reportedly worth $70MM over five years, but contained only $10MM in fully guaranteed money. Similar to last season’s offer, Bell would have made $33MM over the first two years “in a rolling guaranteed structure,” resulting in $45MM over three years.
Will Le'Veon Bell Be Disappointed In Free Agency?
Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell is essentially betting that a team will to pay him at least $58MM on a four-year deal in free agency next year. However, he can’t necessarily bank on that, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com explains, citing DeMarco Murray as an example.
Latest On Le’Veon Bell, Steelers
We learned yesterday that the Steelers final offer to running back Le’Veon Bell was worth $70MM over five years. While that deal is plenty lucrative, it may not have been as good as it sounded. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the deal only contained $10MM in guaranteed money. Similar to last season’s offer, Bell would have made $33MM over the first two years “in a rolling guaranteed structure.” This number would have been increased to $45MM over three years.
As Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com points out (via Twitter), the deal would have been “virtually identical to the cash flows of the last contract.” The boosts in value would have been based on the increase in value of the running back franchise tag.
There’s been plenty of news pertaining to Bell and the Steelers over the past few days, which naturally led to a number of reactions and observations. We compiled all of the relevant notes below:
- While reports indicated that the Steelers had offered Bell the $70MM contract, Bell’s agent, Adisa Bakari, seemed to imply that that wasn’t actually the case. In fact, he seemingly backed the above report that the deal didn’t include much guaranteed money. “I am certainly not saying that what has been reported is accurate because it’s not quite frankly,” Bakari said (via SiriusXM NFL Radio on Twitter). “The most important element is the guarantee.”
- Yesterday, Bakari said this will likely be his client’s final season in Pittsburgh. If Bell does end up going elsewhere, he’ll be the eighth player since 2013 to leave his team after being tagged (via Rapoport on Twitter). The list of players includes quarterback Kirk Cousins, wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, linebacker Brian Orakpo, defensive end Greg Hardy, offensive guard Branden Albert, defensive end Michael Johnson, and defensive tackle Henry Melton. Rapoport did not include cornerback Josh Norman nor tight end Jimmy Graham, who both had unique defections after inking the franchise tag.
- Mark Kaboly of The Athletic writes that neither the Steelers nor Bell’s camp are to blame for the lack of a long-term deal. The writer understands that the organization isn’t in a hurry to pay a running back more than $14.5MM per season. On the flip side, Kaboly believes Bell has established himself as one of the best players at his position, and he deserves to have a contract that matches his standing.
- Could the Steelers end up rescinding Bell’s one-year, $14.5MM franchise tender? While it’s unlikely, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com explains that it’s a possibility. The writer opines that the organization may not want to pay that kind of money to a player who will only be with the organization for one more season, especially if Bell decides to sit out regular season games. Plus, the Steelers seem to have a solid backup plan in James Conner, and they could also choose to pursue any of the available running backs still sitting on the market (a grouping that includes Adrian Peterson, Alfred Morris, or the recently-retired DeMarco Murray).
- Fitzgerald took a look at the current “plight of the running back,” noting that Bell and his peers can’t expect to earn the same kind of money that running backs earned five or six years ago. Ultimately, even if Bell does somehow manage to snag a record-breaking contract, Fitzgerald doesn’t believe it will have a lasting impact on the running back market.
Steelers’ Bell Unlikely To Miss Games
Rob Gronkowski will report to the Patriots for training camp, but don’t expect the same from Steelers star Le’Veon Bell. The running back’s tentative plan is to miss Steelers training camp but be ready for the regular season, a source tells Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter). While Bell is displeased over the team’s decision to not give him a suitable extension before the deadline, it would be a “shock” if he were to miss games and the Steelers expect him to play a full season, Fowler hears.
Of course, Bell still has time to consider all of his options. In theory, Bell could protect himself from injury by waiting to sign his tender until after the season has begun. But, by doing that, he would miss out on more than $900K for every game he doesn’t play and would risk the possibility – however slim – of the Steelers rescinding the tag. Bell would reach free agency in that scenario, but at a time when most of the league’s free agent dollars have dried up.
There’s also the possibility that Bell changes his mind, signs the tag quickly, and reports in time for training camp this month. But, right now, that seems about as unlikely as a regular season holdout. Last year, Bell took his time before signing the tag and still managed an incredibly productive season.
In 2017, Bell posted 1,946 yards from scrimmage in 15 games. His 4.0 yards per carry represented a drop from the 4.9 he’d averaged in 2015 and ’16, but that might have something to do with overuse. Last year, Bell led the league with 321 carries and had 406 touches overall.
Bell Signaling Pittsburgh Exit Imminent?
Monday’s deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign extensions came and went without a deal. For the Steelers, this could well mean the beginning of an era’s end. For the Cowboys, Lions and Rams, prices for their tagged performers went up for future purposes. Here’s the latest fallout from the tag deadline.
- Le’Veon Bell also appears to concede 2018 will be his Steelers finale. In a tweet, the sixth-year running back apologizes to fans for he and the Steelers’ inability to finalize a deal that satisfied both parties. “My desire always has been to retire a Steeler,” Bell said. “Both sides worked extremely hard today to make that happen, but the NFL is a hard business at times…to the fans that had hope, I’m sorry we let youu (sic) down but trust me, 2018 will be my best season to date.” The Steelers are believed to have offered Bell a five-year deal worth $70MM, but it’s unknown what the guarantees came out to in that proposal.
- Bell is betting that a better offer will be there in March, but Aditi Kinkhabwala of the NFL Network points out (video link) the Steelers no longer have a reason to preserve their starting back for the future. This is a unique wrinkle to the two-tag process that didn’t affect Kirk Cousins or Trumaine Johnson. The team already uses Bell like an old-school workhorse, albeit with a modern spin thanks to Bell’s abilities through the air, and Kinkhabwala expects the 26-year-old’s workload to meet and possibly eclipse his 406-touch 2017 regular season. That would put him well over 1,500 carries, which would be unique for a free agent running back seeking a major contract.
- One player who had a vested outside interest in Bell reaching an agreement with the Steelers is now on his own. But Joel Corry of CBS Sports tweets David Johnson‘s agent should now use the Steelers’ leaked five-year, $70MM offer as the new running back ceiling rather than Devonta Freeman‘s five-year, $41.25MM contract when negotiating with the Cardinals. Considering how big of a gap there is between these numbers (nearly $6MM AAV) and the lack of known guarantees, that might be a tough sell for the Cardinals. Corry adds that a Johnson 2019 tag would come out to approximately $11.3MM. That figure is now more relevant now that Bell is set to play on his $14.5MM tag rather than a market-resetting long-term deal.
Latest On Steelers’ Final Le’Veon Bell Offer
With Le’Veon Bell attached to the franchise tag for another season, the fallout’s begun — from the running back’s agent saying this will likely be his client’s final year in Pittsburgh, to the Steelers expressing hope they can sign Bell after this season.
More clarity’s emerging on the Steelers’ final offer. Pittsburgh offered Bell a five-year, $70MM deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter), doing so a year after proposing a five-year, $60MM contract to the All-Pro running back. During an appearance on NFL Total Access, Rapoport said the Steelers and Bell did not come as close to a deal as they did last July.
Rapoport notes this proposal, like last summer’s, included more than $30MM in its first two years. The average salary of this deal is $14MM — $500K shy of the amount of Bell’s current franchise tag and the figure that Bell said was his price floor.
It’s not certain what guarantees the Steelers were willing to include, and that element could be why Bell looks bound for 2019 free agency.
The Steelers’ 2017 offer was worth $13.3MM over five years. ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reported the team increased the proposal in the spring, with Bell’s rejection stalling talks for months. It’s unclear if this final offer was more than the one the Steelers made to Bell in the spring.
This five-year, $70MM pact, interestingly, is the same amount both Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas signed for at the 2015 tag deadline. This illustrates the obvious gap between the present values of the wide receiver and running back positions, with Antonio Brown now earning a wideout-high $17MM per year, but it also shows how much Bell stuck to his guns. This offer was $6MM north of any other running back’s AAV.
The 26-year-old running back sought more from the Steelers in the spring because of the 406-touch season — his second first-team All-Pro slate — he put together last year and his status as arguably the NFL’s best running back. Bell’s gambling this kind of money will be there for him in free agency after what would probably be another high-volume workload this season. This worked for Kirk Cousins. The two-tag process netted him free agency and a fully guaranteed deal, but he plays a much less violent position. And Bell has some injuries in his past.
It’s a bold move on Bell’s part given what’s happened to the running back market during his career and how the Steelers use him.
He enters 2018 with 1,229 career carries. Should Bell stay healthy, he’ll almost certainly surpass 1,500 this season. The only active players ahead of Bell currently: Frank Gore, Marshawn Lynch, LeSean McCoy, Jonathan Stewart and LeGarrette Blount. All of whom have at least three more years’ experience than the Steelers’ versatile workhorse. And Bell has 312 career receptions as well, adding to the risk of turning down a long-term pact for a second straight year.
Steelers Hope To Keep Bell Beyond ’18
Le’Veon Bell‘s agent says the running back is unlikely to be in Pittsburgh after the 2018 season. Steelers GM Kevin Colbert, meanwhile, is still hoping to keep Bell in place for years to come. 
[RELATED: Bell’s Agent Says He’ll Likely Leave In 2019]
“Even though we could not reach a long-term contract agreement with Le’Veon Bell, we are excited he will be with the team in 2018,” Colbert said in a statement. “We worked very hard to find common ground, but we were unable to accomplish that prior to today’s deadline. Le’Veon will play this season under the exclusive franchise tag designation. After the 2018 season is completed, we again will attempt to work out a long-term contract with Le’Veon in the hope that he will continue his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
Bell will indeed be with the team for 2018, but until he formally signs his tag, it’s anyone’s guess as to when Bell’s 2018 season will start. The good news for Steelers fans is that Bell vowed on Twitter to make 2018 his “best season to date.” If taken literally, Bell would have to play in all 16 games in order to turn in a career year, so that could be an indication that Bell will be in uniform for Week 1.
Although Bell may be disappointed with today’s outcome, he’s still set to earn $14.5MM for the 2018 season. The running back would miss out on more than $900K for every game that he misses, so it would behoove him to sign his tender in advance of September.
Bell’s Agent: “Likely” Last Year With Steelers
As expected, the Steelers and Le’Veon Bell did not agree to an extension before Monday’s deadline. With that, Bell’s agent Adisa Bakari says the running back is not long for Pittsburgh.
“His intention was to retire as a Steeler. But now that there’s no deal, the practical reality is, this now likely will Le’Veon’s last season as a Steeler,” Bakari said (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). “It became clear the Steelers wanted to pay the position, not the player.”
The latter part of Bakari’s quote pretty much sums it up. The Steelers have shown a willingness to make Bell the highest-paid running back in the NFL in terms of yearly average, but Bell has been pushing for a deal to compensate him as a world-class rusher who is also a high-end receiver. Meanwhile, he wanted a long-term deal to have more weight than the average NFL contract, which means high guarantees and heavy cash flow in the early years.
At last check, the Steelers were offering Bell roughly $13.3MM per season on a multi-year extension. Bell’s camp, meanwhile, asked for $17MM per year. The two sides were talking right up until the deadline, but the gap was too large to bridge.
In 2018, Bell’s $14.5MM salary will make him the top breadwinner at the running back position. However, the highest paid RB on a long-term deal is still Falcons star Devonta Freeman ($8.25MM/year). Cardinals running back David Johnson may top him with a new extension this summer, but he has less juice to work with after Bell did not reach an accord.
If Bell continues to play at a high level, he’ll be in line to revolutionize the running back market next year in free agency.