Extra Points: Steelers, Bell, Bears
Here’s a quick look around the NFL:
- Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell passed his physical yesterday after showing up at the team’s facility, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. He did not sign his franchise tag yet, but he will, Rapoport adds. Bell’s Steelers open up the season in Cleveland on Sept. 10.
- The Bears were the only team to put in a waiver claim on kicker Roberto Aguayo after the Bucs cut him earlier this month, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. They’re now likely going to be stuck paying his $428K guarantee after releasing him on Saturday.
- The Redskins are still trying to trade Derek Carrier and two teams are currently in on him, Mike Jones of The Washington Post (on Twitter) hears. It’s still unclear how likely a deal is, however. Carrier has been traded before – he came to Washington via a swap with San Francisco in 2015.
- The Cardinals will pursue punter Andy Lee now that he is a free agent, Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic tweets. This makes sense considering that the Cardinals considered trading for him this week prior to his release.
- The Packers are looking for help at offensive guard, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle hears (Twitter link). Green Bay will start Lane Taylor and Jahri Evans at the two guard spots.
Steelers Release Cobi Hamilton
Cobi Hamilton was a fixture in the Steelers’ receiving corps in 2016, but he won’t be a member of the group this year. The team has released the wideout, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
Thanks largely to superstar Antonio Brown, the just-reinstated Martavis Bryant, second-round pick JuJu Smith-Schuster and Eli Rogers, the Steelers are deep at receiver. With those four serving as locks to make the team, Hamilton joined a few other familiar Steelers receivers who vied to stay on their roster during the preseason. It wasn’t to be for the 26-year-old Hamilton, a sixth-round pick of the AFC North rival Bengals in 2013 who didn’t catch a pass in Cincinnati but made somewhat of an impact in Pittsburgh.
In 2016, his lone season with the Steelers, Hamilton started in eight of 11 appearances and caught 17 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns. He added another four receptions and a TD in three playoff games last January.
Also a former Eagle, Dolphin and Panther, the well-traveled Hamilton’s next NFL organization will be his sixth.
Steelers To Waive RB Fitzgerald Toussaint
The Steelers will place running back Fitzgerald Toussaint on waivers, reports Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com.
Toussaint, 27, spent the past two seasons in Pittsburgh and managed 32 totes during that time. Although Toussaint appeared to have a shot at a roster spot earlier this year, Le’Veon Bell‘s decision to report to the club negated that opportunity. Instead, the Steelers will go with rookie James Conner and Terrell Watson behind Bell, who officially returned today.
Pittsburgh values Toussaint’s “toughness,” per Fowler, and given that he still has practice squad eligibility, Toussaint could see his way back to the Steelers’ taxi squad.
Steelers Release Knile Davis
The Steelers are releasing running back Knile Davis, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
The 25-year-old Davis joined the Steelers in March after stints with the Chiefs and Packers from 2013-16. All but two of his 57 appearances came in Kansas City, where he totaled 800 yards on 245 carries (3.3 yards per rush). He was barely a factor last year with either Chiefs or Packers last year, picking up just 18 carries.
The release of Davis leaves the Steelers with Fitzgerald Toussaint, Terrell Watson and third-round pick James Conner as their backups to star Le’Veon Bell.
NFL Reinstates Steelers WR Martavis Bryant
Huge news for the Steelers. Wide receiver Martavis Bryant has been fully reinstated by the NFL. 
Bryant is now cleared to participate in regular season games and practices. This is the outcome that the Steelers have been expecting.
The league took an intermediate step towards welcoming Bryant back when they gave him clearance to participate in the preseason. Bryant was banned for all of the 2016 season for repeated violations of its substance abuse policy. The Steelers are undoubtedly thrilled to have Bryant back as he’ll help to take pressure off of star receiver Antonio Brown.
Bryant, 25, has only appeared in 21 out of 48 possible regular season games over the course of his career, but he has been productive in his limited action. He has averaged 17.3 yards per catch over the last three years.
The news will also have roster implications for the Steelers as they approach the 53-man deadline on Saturday. Right now, Brown, Bryant, Eli Rogers, Juju Smith-Schuster, and Cobi Hamilton figure to be the team’s top five receivers. Sammie Coates Darrius Heyward-Bey, and Justin Hunter are among the other receivers vying for a spot.
Le’Veon Bell Reports To Steelers
As expected, Le’Veon Bell reported to the Steelers on Friday morning. He’ll sign his franchise tender, meaning that he’ll play out the 2017 season for $12.12MM. 
Had Bell waited until after Saturday’s roster deadline to show up to team headquarters, he could have put his first two game checks in jeopardy. The Steelers, in theory, would have had the option to place him on the roster exempt list through Week 1, meaning that the two sides would have to negotiate his pay for that period. That was unlikely to happen, but the running back now knows for sure that he will collect his full $711K payout for each game.
Bell turned down a multi-year extension offer prior to this year’s deadline that would have paid him $60MM over a five-year term (assuming the Steelers kept him for the full span of the deal). Depending on who you ask, Bell’s camp may have agreed to the deal before 86’ing it at the last minute.
If Bell turns in another strong year, he’ll force the Steelers to tag him again for $14MM, make him a lucrative extension offer, or allow him to test the open market as an unrestricted free agent. If he falters or gets injured, he may regret turning down the $60MM deal.
Steelers GM On Joe Haden Deal
- It would have been “negligent” for Pittsburgh to not look into signing cornerback Joe Haden after the Browns released him Wednesday, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert told reporters, including Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The Steelers added Haden shortly after the Browns parted with the eighth-year man. While Haden’s effectiveness has faded in recent seasons, the Steelers regard him as a “capable starter” and the type of player who’s not typically available in late August, per Colbert.
Steelers Notes: Haden, Bryant
- The Steelers expect the NFL to fully reinstate wide receiver Martavis Bryant in advance of Week 1, GM Kevin Colbert told Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette (Twitter link). The league suspended Bryant for all of last season for repeated violations of its substance abuse policy, conditionally reinstated the 25-year-old in April and gave him clearance to participate in the preseason three weeks ago. He hasn’t appeared in a meaningful game since a playoff loss to the Broncos on Jan. 17, 2016.
- Cornerback Joe Haden‘s $5.75MM signing bonus is the only guaranteed portion of the three-year, $27MM contract the Steelers gave him Wednesday, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. The pact includes base salaries of $1.25MM, $9MM and $10MM, and it comes with a $1MM roster bonus that’s due in March 2018.
Steelers' Bell Wants $17MM/Year?
- In 2016, Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell demanded $15MM per year in a rap song he made. In a recent freestyle, Bell indicated that he wants $17MM per year, as Adam Bitner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes. This offseason, Bell turned down a multi-year contract offer worth $12MM per season, opting instead to earn $12.12MM on the franchise tender. He’s been staying away from the team, but he will end his holdout on Friday.
Steelers, Kevin Colbert Agree To Extension
First they gave a new deal to Mike Tomlin and now the Steelers have done the same with Kevin Colbert. The Steelers have reached agreement on a two-year extension with their GM that will take him through at least the 2020 NFL Draft. 
[RELATED: Steelers Sign CB Joe Haden]
“I am excited to announce we have extended Kevin Colbert’s contract for an additional two years,” said Steelers President Art Rooney II. “Kevin’s dedication and diligent work have played a major role in our success. We are pleased he will continue to lead our personnel efforts for at least the next three years.”
Colbert has been with the Steelers since February of 2000, meaning that he is in his 18th year with the organization. He spent the first eleven years as the club’s director of football operations before advancing to the GM position seven years ago. During his time with the Steelers, the team has won two Super Bowl championships, three AFC Championships, and eight division titles.
The Steelers prioritized extensions for both Tomlin and Colbert this offseason, though the coach beat the GM to the punch by signing his deal in early August. Tomlin’s deal is slightly longer as it goes through the 2020 season rather than the 2020 draft.