Steelers’ star Bell a no-show at camp

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell did not report to training camp Thursday, and there are no signals from his camp about when, or if, he will arrive.

Coach Mike Tomlin said there are consequences for Bell for not reporting on time, but the Steelers cannot punish him in any way because he is not under contract.

Bell has yet to sign his oneyear contract for $12.12 million US, the tender for running backs who received the franchise tag. But until he signs the tender, he is under no obligation to report.

Bell, who was recovering from sports hernia surgery this spring, also did not show up for OTAs or minicamp in May and June.

“There is no question we are a group that values the team-building process,” Tomlin said Thursday. “And doing it in this setting, so yes, there is value, and yes, there are consequences for not being here. That’s the reality of it.” What are those consequences? “They’re untold as we sit here,” Tomlin said.

The Steelers could decide to pull the franchise tag, which would make Bell an unrestricted free agent. They can do that as long the franchise tender remains unsigned. The Carolina Panthers did that with Josh Norman last year, and he signed with the Washington Redskins.

The Steelers are not expected to make that move, but it is an option. They also could refuse to place the franchise tag on Bell again next year, which would make him an unrestricted free agent in 2018.

There has been speculation Bell will not report until mid- to late-August. Tomlin would like for his star running back to report sooner rather than later.

“Obviously I would like for him to be here,” Tomlin said. “He is not. I am going to focus my energies on the guys who are.”

With Flacco hurt, Ravens may add Kaepernick

BALTIMORE — With starter Joe Flacco sidelined for at least a week with a disc issue in his back, the Baltimore Ravens are exploring signing former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

Following the team’s first fullsquad practice of training camp Thursday, Ravens coach John Harbaugh brought up Kaepernick before even being asked about the free-agent quarterback.

It’s an obvious connection given that Kaepernick played his best football in San Francisco under Jim Harbaugh, John’s brother, and former 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman. Roman is now a senior offensive assistant and tight ends coach for the Ravens.

“I’ve known Colin really through my brother for many years and we’ve talked,” John Harbaugh said. “I got to know him really well when they scrimmaged here [in 2014]. He and I have been talking throughout the summer. We’ve had some great conversations on the phone. He’s a guy right now that’s being talked about and we’ll just see what happens with that. It’s all speculation right now but I think he’s a really good football player. As I said at the owners meetings, I do believe he’ll be playing in the NFL this year.”

Asked later about Kaepernick, Harbaugh said, “I wouldn’t rule it out at all.”

The Ravens currently have only two healthy quarterbacks on their roster — veteran Ryan Mallett and Dustin Vaughan. During one drill Thursday, offensive assistant Matt Weiss stood in as the quarterback because Mallett and Vaughan were needed on other parts of the field.

After the 49ers let him go, Kaepernick is believed to have had one workout, with the Seattle Seahawks, and he wasn’t signed.