No opening Bell heard
Steelers’ star RB holding out for deal
The player perhaps most vital to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ hopes of tracking down the Super Bowl champion and longtime nemesis Patriots by the end of January was nowhere to be found yesterday at the start of training camp.
While his teammates went through the customary opening paces — from check-in to a conditioning test — Le’Veon
Bell never made it to St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. The Pro Bowler has not signed the franchise tender that will pay him more than $12 million this season.
Pittsburgh placed the franchise tag on Bell in the offseason, but was unable to find common ground for a long-term agreement. General manager Kevin Colbert tabled any talks of revisiting an extension until after the 2017 season. Bell averaged more than 150 yards of total offense per game last season.
Bell wants to reset what has been a stagnant (by NFL standards) market for running backs in recent years. While the 25-yearold is among the most versatile players in the league — he caught 75 passes in just 12 games last season — he has been suspended twice for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy and also has struggled to stay healthy.
Knee injuries ended his season in 2014 and 2015 and a tweaked groin rendered him a bystander in a onesided AFC Championship Game loss to the Patriots. He underwent surgery in the offseason to fix the groin and coach Mike Tomlin said there are no concerns about it being an issue whenever Bell decides to pull into the parking lot.
Tomlin called Bell’s absence an “unfortunate circumstance.”
Also, the NFL has not cleared wide receiver Martavis Bryant, coming off a year-long suspension for violating the league’s drug policy, to practice or play in games.
The Steelers did agree with left tackle Alejandro
Villanueva on a four-year contract. Financial terms were not disclosed. Villanueva started every game for the defending AFC North champions last season.
Flacco sidelined
Baltimore Ravens coach
John Harbaugh said quarterback Joe Flacco will miss at least the first week of training camp because of a back injury.
Harbaugh said the Ravens likely will bring in another quarterback and haven’t ruled out signing Colin Kaepernick, who threw for 2,241 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions last season for San Francisco. The other quarterbacks in camp are former Patriot Ryan Mallett and Dustin Vaughan.
Flacco threw for a franchise-record 4,317 yards with 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 2016, one year removed from seasonending knee surgery.
Also, Ravens offensive lineman John Urschel retired after three seasons. Urschel, a fifth round pick from Penn State in 2014, received attention for pursuing his doctorate at MIT during the offseason. . . .
Teddy Bridgewater says he hasn’t had any setbacks in his recovery from the massive injury to his left knee he suffered nearly a year ago in practice with the Minnesota Vikings.
The fourth-year quarterback marked the first day of training camp with a fountain of optimism. He said there’s no doubt he’ll return to game action, though acknowledging the timetable remains uncertain for the season opener.
Bridgewater credited his “amazing DNA” for the fortitude to work back from a dislocated knee and multiple ligament tears. His mother, Rose Murphy, is a breast cancer survivor.
Broncos RB hurt
Denver Broncos coach Vance Joseph’s first training camp got off to a rough start with word that Devontae Booker, who was pushing to unseat C.J. Anderson as the starting running back, will undergo wrist surgery today and is expected to miss six weeks.
Booker suffered a hairline fracture during OTAs in June, as he trying to bounce back from a rookie season that followed two knee surgeries.
Anderson is returning from a torn meniscus that sidelined him over the last half of last season. Booker led the Broncos with 612 yards and four touchdowns in 2016.
With Booker shelved, the Broncos signed free agent running back Stevan Ridley, the former Patriot, on a one-year deal.
Jets maneuver
The New York Jets claimed running back-kick returner Marcus Murphy off waivers from the New Orleans Saints and waived running back Brandon
Wilds. Murphy was a seventh-round draft pick out of Missouri in 2015 and is primarily a returner. . . .
The Cardinals signed linebacker Philip Wheeler to a one-year contract. He is a nine-year veteran, playing the last two seasons for Atlanta. . . .
First-round pick linebacker Reuben Foster has been cleared to go for the San Francisco 49ers after missing the offseason program rehabilitating his injured right shoulder. The No. 3 overall pick, defensive end Solomon Thomas, remains unsigned. . . .
Linebacker Erik Walden agreed to a deal with the Tennessee Titans. Walden had a career-high 11 sacks last year for Indianapolis.