According to a report by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, NFL sources are now saying that Le’Veon Bell is unlikely to report back to the Pittsburgh Steelers by a Tuesday deadline to sign his franchise tag tender and play this season.
Bell has not shared any information about his plans directly with the media, but has previously said that he would consider sitting out the 2018 season if the Steelers intended to use the franchise tag on him for a second straight season rather than negotiating a contract extension.
Pittsburgh Unlikely to Tag Bell Again
According to a CBS Sports report, some individuals inside the Pittsburgh organization are now also expecting Bell to sit out the entire season in an effort to avoid injury before he likely becomes a free agent.
Technically, Pittsburgh could still tag Bell yet again for the 2019 season. But because that would require the Steelers to pay him the price of the quarterback franchise tag – more than $25 million guaranteed – it’s unlikely that they would choose to do so.
The team might also look to place him on a transition tag that would allow them to match any offer made by another club, essentially turning Bell into a restricted free agent. However, it’s unclear how much that would cost the Steelers, nor how the running back would react to such a move.
By sitting out, Bell would be forfeiting about $6 million in salary he could still make over the remaining weeks of the season. ESPN has also reported that Bell’s missed year would cost him about $200,000 in benefits, including pension, retirement plans, severance and health reimbursement funds.
“I don’t think it even enters his mind,” a sources told ESPN about Bell’s benefits package. “When you lose a credited [season] and retire, you wish you had it then. But you’re not thinking about that now.”
Conner Carrying the Load
Pittsburgh got off to a slow start without their star running back, but is now riding a five-game winning streak, most recently defeating the Carolina Panthers 52-21 on Thursday night. With the offense firing on all cylinders, at least some Steelers players are saying that they aren’t worrying about Bell’s status at the moment.
“I’m not going to comment on someone who’s not in this locker room right now,” said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger when reporters asked about Bell following Thursday’s win.
Without Bell, the running game has been focused on James Conner. Over the first nine games of the season, Conner has rushed for 771 yards, caught 39 passes, and scored 11 touchdowns. However, he left Thursday’s game with a concussion, and it is not yet known whether he’ll be cleared from the concussion protocol in time to play in next weekend’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Regardless of who is starting at running back, the Steelers have maintained their position as a Super Bowl favorite. William Hill is listing Pittsburgh as a 10/1 choice to win the Super Bowl, gibving the Steelers the fifth-best odds on the board. The Los Angeles Rams (7/2) are currently the favorite to win a championship this year.