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Agent Adisa Bakari hinted that Bell might be willing to wait it out longer.

Bell hasn't signed his $14.5 million franchise tag and can become a free agent in 2019 as long as he signs it by Week 11. The team hoped he would show up for work this week, but he's staying away.

"He's going to do the things necessary to protect his value long-term," Bakari told NFL Live in an appearance Wednesday.

Bakari also appeared on SiriusXM NFL Radio, where he asked what the Steelers' plans are for Bell and alluded to workload becoming an issue.

@AKinkhabwala
Maurkice Pouncey on Le’Veon Bell’s agent suggesting he’d like to know #Steelers plan for the RB this year: “That’s just stupid. You can’t play football like that.”

@RossTuckerNFL
1m
The way Steelers players are talking about Le'Veon Bell is extremely rare. Guys almost never call out teammates especially when they know it's a business decision.

Doesn't speak very well about how they feel about him.

I like that the OL calling him out personally. Be funny if they did the old oley few times in game when he touches the ball just to remind him.

I mean, they should just trade him honestly.

bearsfaninaz wrote:I like that the OL calling him out personally. Be funny if they did the old oley few times in game when he touches the ball just to remind him.

it would be fun to just see him get absolutely crushed on his first carry as the O-Line simply parts like the swinging doors on an old saloon

I really don't understand Bell's motivations here ... he is on a solid contending team, has a megabucks contract, and should be happy and grateful for his situation instead of being some whining selfish bitch

He wants control over his future, for the first fucking time in his career. He's never had a say at all. Why is everyone always do quick to side with the billionaires?

RustyTrubisky wrote:He wants control over his future, for the first fucking time in his career. He's never had a say at all. Why is everyone always do quick to side with the billionaires?

maybe I'm missing something

I don't see how calling someone out for spitting on a $14.5 million 1 year deal, with free agency to follow, is siding with the owners

RustyTrubisky wrote:He wants control over his future, for the first fucking time in his career. He's never had a say at all. Why is everyone always do quick to side with the billionaires?

Because the billionaires took the risk to start the league and assume the risk to keep it going
Because if every player was allowed to dictate where and when they played, there wouldn't be a league
Because Bell knew what he was getting into when he signed up to play in the league
Because the players that represent Bell agreed to the Franchise tag in collective bargaining

wab wrote:I mean, they should just trade him honestly.

What would they want in return?

The Marshall Plan wrote:

wab wrote:I mean, they should just trade him honestly.

What would they want in return?

Two 2nd round picks seems right.

RustyTrubisky wrote:He wants control over his future, for the first fucking time in his career. He's never had a say at all. Why is everyone always do quick to side with the billionaires?

Who’s siding with anyone? This is the contract situation his union collectively bargained. And he’s taking that contract situation and being just a flaming douche about it.

Was Mack being a flaming douche? I mean he was not reporting to camp and he was under contract.

Otis Day wrote:Was Mack being a flaming douche? I mean he was not reporting to camp and he was under contract.

A bit, yeah. I’m mainly basing that on statements from teammates. You virtually never will hear a single negative word about a holdout by a teammate. Bell has a few openly criticizing him. Im guessing he’s earned the criticism.

Rothelessburger..3 ints
Sway bar Taylor 1 int

OT in Cleveland

That OT period was an object lesson in the importance of Special Teams.

Cleveland: PR fair catches when he had acres of space and could have had a big return.
Cleveland: Partially blocked punt (cannoned off their own punt protector).
Pittsburgh: Missed 42 yard field goal (pulled left).
Cleveland: Missed 43 yard field goal (blocked).

The weather was appalling with heavy rain, but even so it was a succession of mishaps.

As for Mack and Bell holding out, the big difference is that Mack is by all accounts the perfect teammate who is well-liked and never any trouble whereas Bell clearly isn't popular and has had a run in with the law. His teammates put up with him because of what he brings on the field, but if he isn't making himself available to play then they see no reason to back him.

Levon Bell gave the NFL the finger and is forfeiting his 2018 season, as he is now ineligible for sitting out.

UOK wrote:Levon Bell gave the NFL the finger and is forfeiting his 2018 season, as he is now ineligible for sitting out.

well good for him being able to do that to make his point

I'm still a little fuzzy on what his point is exactly, since the boatload of cash he just forfeited for 1 season is probably more than 12 of us on this site combined might make in our lifetime

Boris13c wrote:

UOK wrote:Levon Bell gave the NFL the finger and is forfeiting his 2018 season, as he is now ineligible for sitting out.

well good for him being able to do that to make his point

I'm still a little fuzzy on what his point is exactly, since the boatload of cash he just forfeited for 1 season is probably more than 12 of us on this site combined might make in our lifetime

His point is he feels worth more than the (as I recall it) 5/80 he was offered, and 14 million bucks isn’t worth getting knocked around for a year.

I’ve seen some discussion regarding the math of the offer he’d have to get to come out ahead in dollars on this thing, and it’s pretty substantial.

I think he’s crazy, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this whole thing ends up with him losing a boatload in the long run. But If he’s happy with his decision more power to him.

He is an idiot. He refused the above mentioned contract, 5/70 or 80 depending on the source because there wasn't enough guarantees in it. Personally, the steelers were completely dumb for even offering it. RB is one of the most replaceable positions in the NFL if not the most.

Any franchise that gives him a huge guarantee is stupid.

He was popped for drugs in 2015, suspended, then promptly fails to show for multiple off-season drug tests in 2016 and gets suspended again. Most likely he was in the program prior to 2015 for that incident to result in a suspension as typically the first is just being placed in the program and evaluation. He is one hot or missed test from a 10 game suspension and 2 from indefinite.

BR0D1E86 wrote:

RustyTrubisky wrote:He wants control over his future, for the first fucking time in his career. He's never had a say at all. Why is everyone always do quick to side with the billionaires?

Who’s siding with anyone? This is the contract situation his union collectively bargained. And he’s taking that contract situation and being just a flaming douche about it.

He's exercising his ultimate option to not participate without a contract that he feels is fair to him.

playing devils advocate for a second, if howard really isnt a fit in nagy's scheme and he is gone end of the season, is Bell worth looking at as a better fit in nagy's offense?

GSH wrote:playing devils advocate for a second, if howard really isnt a fit in nagy's scheme and he is gone end of the season, is Bell worth looking at as a better fit in nagy's offense?

Dollars would be way too much.

southdakbearfan wrote:

GSH wrote:playing devils advocate for a second, if howard really isnt a fit in nagy's scheme and he is gone end of the season, is Bell worth looking at as a better fit in nagy's offense?

Dollars would be way too much.

look at what he turned down from the Steelers ... he is not worth that (and more) to the Bears IMO

if Howard is on his way out, then Nagy and Pace need to find their guy in the draft to replace him ... aside from the Mack trade, the draft is how they have re-built from the ashes into what we have now ... so they need to use the draft, and the free agents who may fit, to continue the positive build

Bell thinks the world revolves around him and the Bears think the best approach is a team approach ... so greedy selfish malcontents need not apply for work in Chicago

I found the last part of this comment by Jim Trotter in his article on Bell's decision over on nfl.com to be utterly risible:

What's interesting is how some fans have turned on Bell. I've always found it fascinating how the public is quick to side with owners and teams when it comes to a negotiation involving players. Why is that? Stripped down, I believe they feel players should be grateful for being paid so much money to play a kids' game. I also believe there's a racial component; African-Americans comprise roughly 70 percent of the players, and there is a segment of the population that views them as highly paid field hands who don't deserve what they're getting.

The reason fans have turned on Bell is really quite simple: They are passionate about their team and expect the players to share that passion, especially when they're getting paid millions of dollars.

It's no different to any other popular sport played anywhere else in the world. It has absolutely nothing to do with race whatsoever. Outside of a small minority of racist turds, people don't care about the colour of a player's skin, only what they do for the team they love.

If the player plays well then, whilst always believing players are overpaid in general, nobody objects to them earning big money commensurate with their performance level. In fact, if a player has played well and is coming out of contract fans will rail against owners if they don't stump up a generous contract offer. Fans do object if a player under-performs, particularly if they're on a big contract, or they don't turn up to perform at all as Bell has chosen to do.

This current propensity to bring race into every issue is pathetic and detracts from and devalues genuine instances of concern. This is a clear example. This is all about Bell believing he's worth more than the Steelers do and turning down both a big multi-year offer and a lucrative one year contract in the expectation that he can make even more millions. Frankly I'd be very surprised if he does end up getting a better deal that more than makes up for the $14m he's passed up this season.

Ultimately it's his choice, but you can't expect Steelers fans to be happy about it and side with the player over their hopes for their team.

yeah, i remember seeing some bears fans getting heated over Roquan's holdout of training camp and he hadnt played a down, let alone one of your star players.

GSH wrote:playing devils advocate for a second, if howard really isnt a fit in nagy's scheme and he is gone end of the season, is Bell worth looking at as a better fit in nagy's offense?

Nagy's offense isn't one that requires an elite back like Bell to be successful. We're putting up 30 points a week with consistency and Howard isn't even a big part of that. I'm not trying to be negative on Howard, I think he's great its just that he doesn't get holes to run through. Part of me wants to see "The Jordan Howard Game" where he just goes off for 150 yards and 3 TDs, but I don't know if we'll see that and that's not necessarily Howard's fault. Wanting to see that really is just kind of a meatball thing for me anyway. I'm really happy with how the offense is operating right now.

If it gets to the point where we need to pay Howard $8-9M / year I'd rather trade him for a pick and then use a pick to draft the replacement and put the money into the right side of the line and to pay Eddie Jackson.

Appears Bell was granted his release today.

I bet the Steelers put a lot more thought into a players character on draft day now. I think they have had all they can handle between Bell and Brown.