OT: What to do with Le'veon Bell

[Ewooc]

Can someone explain this whole thing a bit better. I really don't understand what is going on with him? He is holding out for more money? If no, what is going on?
If I was Pittsburgh why aren't they trying to trade him. Conner is obviously good enough to be the #1 RB and put up Bell numbers to boot. What happens to Bell at this point? Does he get traded? Can he be traded?

 

[Baxter48_rivals204143]

He's trying really hard to kill his career

 

[Ewooc]

From what I understand. He wanted more money. So he entered into a game a chess so to speak with Pittsburgh. In hopes to trap them into giving him what he wanted when their season started to fail without him. They happen to have a RB just as talented sitting on the Bench and are using him with the same results that Bell could give. So at this point they no longer need him. Yet he continues to play this chess game in hopes something changes? or because he is to stubborn to realize he has lost and there is nothing left to negotiate.
At this point from an owners, coaches, players, and team perspective I wouldn't want anything to do with that selfish ***. This is where I don't know what can be done. I would trade him to the highest bidder, probably get a first RD pick, or more out of him and move on.

 

[PeliniTheCrutch_rivals294365]

He got owned.

 

[1 nu rugby_rivals]

I hope he gets the boot, total loser move, just trying to stay healthy to hit a lottery and lost....let him walk and move on. - long time team fan, hope he ends up in Canada or nowhere, unfortunately guessing not as Vegas or someone will take him

 

[litespeedhuskerfan_rivals19671]

He found out the NFL gets along just fine without him, and the Steelers aren't missing a beat and they're saving 14mil of salary this year. BAAAHAAABAAHAA!!!!!!

 

[c2o]

It is very complicated with the bargaining agreement.
If he does not sign before the 13th he would be franchised for the 3rd time, thus giving him a 25 million + salary.
The Steelers will not tag him for that money. So somebody can pay him what he wants.
That is far from being "owned".

 

[otismotis08]

NFL front office numbers game.

 

[c2o]

He will end up a Raider.
I think it's been in the works since Gruden.

 

[NECoach31BB]

Pittsburgh should wait as long as possible and then trade him for anything the can get. He made a business decision and the Steelers did as well. He burned a lot of bridges with his decision but some team will take a chance that he won’t do this a second time.

 

[yunginsNU2]

Pittsburgh should wait as long as possible and then trade him for anything the can get. He made a business decision and the Steelers did as well. He burned a lot of bridges with his decision but some team will take a chance that he won’t do this a second time.

Trade deadline has passed

 

[NECoach31BB]

If he doesn’t bring himself in soon, doesn’t he lose the season and his rights are retained by Pittsburgh? Maybe I heard that wrong elsewhere. If he walks for nothing, Pittsburgh still ends up shrewd in my view.

 

[mgbreeze]

He’s doing exactly what he said he would do if franchised. He’s going to report in time to become an unrestricted free agent. I have no issue with it. It’s a business decision by him, no different that a team cutting a player and not paying him.

 

[TFrazier_rivals269992]

Pittsburgh and fans all around the country should simply...

 

[gw2kpro]

Pittsburgh and fans all around the country should simply...

I'm certain they would be more than happy to never see him in their facilities again. But I'm betting he shows up, in which case they're not going to be able to let it go.

 

[HuskerO58]

I had the first overall pick for my fantasy football league. Of course I selected Bell thinking he'd be back by Week 4.

Damn you Le'Veon!!!

 

[Larry Hagman's Liver]

I had the first overall pick for my fantasy football league. Of course I selected Bell thinking he'd be back by Week 4.

Damn you Le'Veon!!!

That sucks, but that's really rolling the dice with the #1 overall pick. Best case was missing three games right out of the chute. Are you a Steelers fan? Or do you just hate Todd Gurley? Winking

 

[tone1017]

He's lost a lot of game checks and also avoided taking a ton of hits. Why people immediately side with ownership is bizarre to me. Did he play it right? Who knows, if he played this year and tore up his knee would that extra $7 million be worth not getting another real contract again? Absolutely not. Everybody knows running backs have short careers and the Steelers wouldn't give him what he wanted. So now he's banking on someone else giving it to him. Maybe nobody will give him the fat contract he wants but I dont blame him for trying.

 

[Can o' corn]

I had the first overall pick for my fantasy football league. Of course I selected Bell thinking he'd be back by Week 4.

Damn you Le'Veon!!!

Your fantasy team needs a new GM.

 

[litespeedhuskerfan_rivals19671]

He's lost a lot of game checks and also avoided taking a ton of hits. Why people immediately side with ownership is bizarre to me. Did he play it right? Who knows, if he played this year and tore up his knee would that extra $7 million be worth not getting another real contract again? Absolutely not. Everybody knows running backs have short careers and the Steelers wouldn't give him what he wanted. So now he's banking on someone else giving it to him. Maybe nobody will give him the fat contract he wants but I dont blame him for trying.

I don't think people are so much siding with ownership, as much as they are siding against a guy who would have made 14mil (is that correct?) but instead acted out because he felt like that was somehow being disrespected, and this isn't the first time he's acted out over this. I think the American public as a whole is way tired of seeing athletes not wanting to honor their contracts or bargaining agreements, and trying to convince us they're somehow being mistreated when they make a fortune and live like kings. Toss is the kneeling thing, and we just don't want to freaking hear about it. Get your butt in there and do what you're paid to do and don't try to convince me you're being dissed because your employer only wanted to pay you 14mil for one year worth of work, and oh BTW, the production they're getting out of your backup proves they were right the whole time.

 

[tone1017]

I don't think people are so much siding with ownership, as much as they are siding against a guy who would have made 14mil (is that correct?) but instead acted out because he felt like that was somehow being disrespected, and this isn't the first time he's acted out over this. I think the American public as a whole is way tired of seeing athletes not wanting to honor their contracts or bargaining agreements, and trying to convince us they're somehow being mistreated when they make a fortune and live like kings. Toss is the kneeling thing, and we just don't want to freaking hear about it. Get your butt in there and do what you're paid to do and don't try to convince me you're being dissed because your employer only wanted to pay you 14mil for one year worth of work, and oh BTW, the production they're getting out of your backup proves they were right the whole time.

That's a legitimate perspective, do you feel the same way when guys get hurt and get cut and get none of their non guaranteed contracts that you expect them to honor? Or do you just view it as extra cap space for your team? Until owners honor all contracts they sign players to I will never blame a player for trying to get his. Their health is their livelihood, why risk it when you're not getting what you deserve and it could be taken away in a second?

 

[litespeedhuskerfan_rivals19671]

That's a legitimate perspective, do you feel the same way when guys get hurt and get cut and get none of their non guaranteed contracts that you expect them to honor? Or do you just view it as extra cap space for your team? Until owners honor all contracts they sign players to I will never blame a player for trying to get his. Their health is their livelihood, why risk it when you're not getting what you deserve and it could be taken away in a second?

He had an opportunity to earn 14mil for one year of work, on top of the tens of millions he already made, and he turned it down, that's the part I get, and that was guaranteed. I also get he is free to hold out, fine, but the owners have their rights to, which BOTH sides agreed to and signed their name to. I think Bell looks like a tool here, and I think other NFL teams are going to feel the same way the Steelers did. Yeah, he's great, but not worth the money or headache.

 

[mt_slothmore]

Your fantasy team needs a new GM.

Conversely, I picked up Conner on waivers before the start of week 1...have been riding him all season but fully expected Bell to return so I traded him straight up for JuJu...in fairness, my WR was my weak link and I have 3 other capable RBs (McCaffrey, Mixon & Chubb)...but fully kicking myself now that I didn't wait and try to get more at WR

 

[Ewooc]

That's a legitimate perspective, do you feel the same way when guys get hurt and get cut and get none of their non guaranteed contracts that you expect them to honor? Or do you just view it as extra cap space for your team? Until owners honor all contracts they sign players to I will never blame a player for trying to get his. Their health is their livelihood, why risk it when you're not getting what you deserve and it could be taken away in a second?

I pretty well don't feel sorry for anyone who makes over a million a year. If these guys were smart. They could play for 3 or 4 years. Bank their millions, retire when they are under 30 and never work another day in their life. Instead they spend spend spend spend. Basically live paycheck to paycheck. Then if they get hurt and can't play or get cut they have nothing. I don't feel sorry for poor life choices.

 

[MOhusker12]

Can someone explain this whole thing a bit better. I really don't understand what is going on with him? He is holding out for more money? If no, what is going on?
If I was Pittsburgh why aren't they trying to trade him. Conner is obviously good enough to be the #1 RB and put up Bell numbers to boot. What happens to Bell at this point? Does he get traded? Can he be traded?

He never signed the Franchise tag, so they cannot trade him.

 

[Larry Hagman's Liver]

I pretty well don't feel sorry for anyone who makes over a million a year. If these guys were smart. They could play for 3 or 4 years. Bank their millions, retire when they are under 30 and never work another day in their life. Instead they spend spend spend spend. Basically live paycheck to paycheck. Then if they get hurt and can't play or get cut they have nothing. I don't feel sorry for poor life choices.

I don't feel sorry for them either, but I also can't blame the players for trying to make as much as they possibly can while their skills and bodies will allow. The players are millionaires with a short earning window. The owners are billionaires with a lifetime earning window. Each is going to do whatever they can to make and hold onto as many dollars as possible.

Let's not act like the players have the actual leverage though. The same owners that aren't extending those players now (business decision) or franchise tagging them repeatedly as a way to pay them year-to-year while not coughing up a big contract (business decision) will still be printing money long after those players are retired.

But when a played decides to hold out (business decision), suddenly they're a bad guy. I get it because fans want to see their favorite players play and it is selfish of them to hold out, but it's really the only move they can make and it's no different than what the owners pull.

Hate the players and owners equally if you're going to hate anyone. I don't feel bad for anyone in any of these situations except the fans.

 

[OO Snipes_rivals]

It is very complicated with the bargaining agreement.
If he does not sign before the 13th he would be franchised for the 3rd time, thus giving him a 25 million + salary.
The Steelers will not tag him for that money. So somebody can pay him what he wants.
That is far from being "owned".

Only the Raiders would empty their cupboard in order to sign a RB to a large contract. I think you are right on this one. Total Raider move

 

[WestCoastCornhusker2]

He will end up a Raider.
I think it's been in the works since Gruden.

That or Jets or Buffalo both have a ton of money under cap.

 

[Solana Beach Husker]

He had an opportunity to earn 14mil for one year of work, on top of the tens of millions he already made, and he turned it down, that's the part I get, and that was guaranteed. I also get he is free to hold out, fine, but the owners have their rights to, which BOTH sides agreed to and signed their name to. I think Bell looks like a tool here, and I think other NFL teams are going to feel the same way the Steelers did. Yeah, he's great, but not worth the money or headache.

This stuff happens all the time in the business world. The job of a boss is to get as much out of an employee as possible while paying them as little as possible. The only people who get more money for less work are those at the top. The only weapon an employee has to combat this "game" is to stop working once they realize they aren't being paid what they are worth. For an NFL running back, guaranteed money is much more valuable than a single year. A talented salesperson will be run into the ground by a smart boss until they stop providing their sales expertise and look for an organization that values them. Nobody would say a top person in sales is being selfish because they gave up a 500k salary when they are worth 1 million. But for some reason when it comes to guys named Le'veon it is all of sudden a big deal.

 

[oldjar07]

This stuff happens all the time in the business world. The job of a boss is to get as much out of an employee as possible while paying them as little as possible. The only people who get more money for less work are those at the top. The only weapon an employee has to combat this "game" is to stop working once they realize they aren't being paid what they are worth. For an NFL running back, guaranteed money is much more valuable than a single year. A talented salesperson will be run into the ground by a smart boss until they stop providing their sales expertise and look for an organization that values them. Nobody would say a top person in sales is being selfish because they gave up a 500k salary when they are worth 1 million. But for some reason when it comes to guys named Le'veon it is all of sudden a big deal.

You're likely not a very good boss if that's your philosophy.

 

[tpmcg_rivals137159]

has conner's performance devalued bell because it kinda looks like any good back can do it...or least not 14 million dollars worth?

 

[Ewooc]

This stuff happens all the time in the business world. The job of a boss is to get as much out of an employee as possible while paying them as little as possible. The only people who get more money for less work are those at the top. The only weapon an employee has to combat this "game" is to stop working once they realize they aren't being paid what they are worth. For an NFL running back, guaranteed money is much more valuable than a single year. A talented salesperson will be run into the ground by a smart boss until they stop providing their sales expertise and look for an organization that values them. Nobody would say a top person in sales is being selfish because they gave up a 500k salary when they are worth 1 million. But for some reason when it comes to guys named Le'veon it is all of sudden a big deal.

I think you are wrong here. I think many would also care in this situation. The difference is those types of things are not in the news non stop for everyone to see. It is done and nobody hears about it. Stuff like Bell is in the news or social media almost everyday. So people take notice. Greed and money in this world has become out of control. So anytime someone who makes millions are mad because they think they deserve more millions, most "average" people are going to be frustrated and not understanding.