Bell appears bound for free agency in 2019
Steelers, star running back miss deadline to sign long-term extension
The Pittsburgh Steelers and running back Le’Veon Bell had until 4 p.m. Monday to work out a new contract. But the deadline came and went, so Bell will play the 2018 season under his franchise-tagged salary of about $14.544 million, and then he almost certainly will become an unrestricted free agent.
Soon after the deadline passed, Bell posted a statement to Twitter that struck a conciliatory tone toward fans, saying he had hoped to reach an agreement to keep him with the Steelers long term but that “the NFL is a hard business at times.” He added, “trust me, 2018 will be my best season to date.”
Thatsentiment stood in contrast to areport from ESPN’s Adam Schefter earlier in the day. During an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Schefter said: “I think it’s possible Le’Veon Bell sits out the first half of the year if he doesn’t get a long-term deal done. The goal at that point would be to hit 2019 free agency healthy, not rack up another 400 touches.”
Bell hinted at such a move in March, two months after he said he would contemplate retirement if forced to play a second consecutive season under the franchise tag.
“I just have to decide if I’m going to play when the time comes,” he told ESPN then.
None of the other players whoreceived the franchise tag — Lions pass rusher Ezekiel Ansah, Rams defensive back Lamarcus Joyner and Cowboys pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence — reached a long-term contract agreement before Monday’s deadline, meaning all three will play out 2018 onthe franchise tag before becoming unrestricted free agents in 2019 (unless they get the tag again).
Bell, 26, has averaged 128.9 yards from scrimmage per game over his career, the most since the NFL/AFL merger in 1970. He’s a strong pass-blocker and a consistent passcatcher, posting at least 75 receptions in three of his five seasons. Bell also led the NFL last season with 321 carries. Basically, he never leaves the field when Pittsburgh has the ball, but hehasonly averaged slightly morethan$5 million per season in salary.
Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, meanwhile, earned nearly $18 million over the first two years of his career. The Rams’ Todd Gurley will average nearly $6 million over his first four seasons. Both werefirst-round picks; Bell was not. He was selected in the second round in 2013, which has hindered his earning potential.
But the Steelers apparently are not willing to budge from their long-held mind-set in which no player’s salary is guaranteed beyond that season.
The Steelers have averaged more points Le’Veon Bell, 26, has averaged 128.9 yards from scrimmage per game over his career. per game without Le’Veon Bell (26.63) since he entered the league than with him (25.19) when you remove irrelevant contests where they rested starters. 16 games worth of data.
“I’m the one to bet on myself. And I’ll do it again,” Bell said in March. “I understand how the Steelers do contracts. Last year, I was pounding the table on guaranteed money. That’s not the case. If I’m not getting guaranteed money, I want a lot more up front. It’s year-to-year with the Steelers. Essentially if I sign a four- or five-year deal, I’m playing four or five franchise tags.”
Bell has yet to sign his franchise-tag tender and has not had any contact with his teammates since the Steelers’ playoff loss to the Jaguars in January. Until he signs, he cannot be forced to participate in team activities, and last year he didn’t sign until six days before the season’s first game. Under the collective bargaining agreement, he can wait until November to sign and still accrue a season of service, opening the door to free agency and the open market. Apparently, that possibility is on the table. Packers report decline in profit: TheGreen Bay Packers’ profit fell by nearly 50 percent in the last fiscal year as the team missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade.
President and CEO Mark Murphy said the outlook for the Packers remains strong as the NFL’s only publicly owned team released its 2018 financial statement on Monday. The Packers announced a profit from operations of $34.1 million, a steep decline from $65.4 million a year earlier. Expenses soared 11.9 percent, from $376.1 million to $420.9 million, a byproduct of player salaries, coaching changes and travel costs. Revenue increased just 3.1 percent from $441.4 million to $454.9 million.
Revenue from national sources rose by 4.9 percent, due to built-in increases in the national TVpackage. Local revenue grew by a scant 0.8 percent. A 7-9 record — the team’s first losing season since 2008 — hurt the bottom line.