The Steelers community went abuzz last week after Le’Veon Bell came out with a lyric in a song that seemed to indicate that he would be seeking $15 million a year in his next contract, a deal that is set to be talked about all season as Bell is set to reach free agency after this season.
Bell is maybe the biggest discount in the NFL in 2016, as he’s set to make just $1.3 million this season, the last of his rookie deal with the team.
The thought of having to pay Bell $15 mil a season was downright depressing to Steelers fans, as it’s a forgone conclusion that it would never happen with the salaries they already have on the books moving forward.
The good news is that Bell seemed to backtrack the thought of needed that much cash per year in his next deal, and clarified his comments to ESPN Saturday.
“I’m not a real greedy guy. I don’t play football just for money or things like that,” Bell told ESPN. “I just want to be valued. Wherever it is — whether its $15 million or lower or higher, whatever it is — I think we will get to an agreement eventually.
“Obviously, I want to be a Steeler for my whole life. My family grew up Pittsburgh Steelers fans, and it’s crazy I even got drafted there. So I want to be with them and hopefully we’ll reach an agreement. But that will take place once that time comes.”
So while Steeler Nation breathes easy for the moment about the thought of losing Bell, there’s still a legit fear of him walking away next season, meaning the team had better look to act quickly when it comes to locking him down.
But just what is Bell’s worth?
There’s no doubt that when healthy, Bell is one of, if not the most dominant backs in the league. Last season he was averaging 92.6 yards per game on the ground to go along with three scores when he was injured for the rest of the season by the Bengals in a home game in week six.
Two seasons ago he was hurt in the regular season finale, again against the Bengals, but had a great season in which he put up 1361 yards on the ground, and another 854 yards in catches with 11 touchdowns.
In looking at the top NFL running back contracts, Adrian Peterson is at the top at $14 million per season, and that’s even a number the Steelers can’t approach.
Next on the list is LeSean McCoy, who with the Bills has a deal worth $40 million, $18 of which is guaranteed, and his average per year is at $8 million, probably a lot more in the Steelers range.
Third is Jonathan Stewart at $36.5 million with the Panthers, average of $7.3 per season, and then the Bucs Doug Martin, whose deal is at $35.7 million, an average per year salary of $7.1 per season.
Can the Steelers afford the type of deal that would pay Bell say $37-39 million total, with an average salary of say $7.5 million per season?
That’s going to be a starting point I would think for a deal for Bell – who watched teammate Antonio Brown ink a deal worth $41.5 million over five years with an $8.5 mil signing bonus.
No matter, the team needs to be active in trying to get a deal done with Bell, as losing him would be a monster blow for a team that has used him as their feature back over the last three seasons.
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Dave B.
July 11, 2016 at 7:40 pm
As I stated in my earlier post , the first thing LeVeon Bell has to do , is prove he can stay on the field for a 16 game season . Hes yet to prove he can . Secondly , can he be depended on ? Driving around in a car smoking pot and getting suspended by the league tells me your judgement is sorely lacking . Youve only been in the league for three years and youve already got a suspension under your belt . With that being said , Adrian Peterson of the Vikings is making 14 million a season and hes a proven veteran whos shown hes one of the very best . If LeVeon Bell is looking for that kind of money , keep looking , because in Pittsburgh its never going to happen . The Steelers will offer Bell somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 to 12 million and thats it . That would make him top 3 or 4 in runningback salaries . If he turns it down , hes probably gone , plain and simple . In addition , making contract demands through an idiotic rap song once again calls into question Bells judgement . For that very reason , the Rooneys are not going to hand the keys to the franchise over to a immature kid who simply hasnt shown he can produce over the long haul nor make sound decisions when he needs to .
DrGeorge
July 12, 2016 at 10:27 am
Bell’s injury was his second to the right knee and not insignificant: tears of the medical collateral ligament (MCL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). Multi-ligament tears often leave the knee unstable. The Steelers will want to see him cut and move laterally, pushing off the right knee, before making a decision.
Of course, practice drills are not the equivalent of making football moves under the stress of live action, and they cannot test how the knee will respond to live tackling by very large men. Moreover, if the Steelers do retain him, which seems likely, it will be wise to give him lots of rest. He won’t be an every down back. Which makes Bell worth $7-8 million a year by my accounting. If the Rooneys agree to more money than that, they are betting on the come, based on the hope of a full recovery.
That seems to me a vain hope. Running backs have a short career under the best of circumstances, and running backs with severe knee injuries typically don’t fully recover or last long (think Willie Parker). In Bell’s case, past performance is no indication of future ability. He isn’t the same player today.
If it were my money, I’d let him walk rather than overpay him. Is an injury-prone Bell worth more than a fully healthy Toussaint or Stingily? How much more? And how reliable will DeAngelo Williams be at age 33? Those are all relevant questions affecting this decision.
The Steelers have had a sentimental attachment to their aging and injured stars over the years, but in this case, sentiment has no pace. And without a healthy Bell, and the likelihood of injury to the aging Williams, we have a thin backfield. The Rooneys would be better advised to save their money, let Bell limp off, and go shopping for another healthy RB.