Steelers’ Bell turned down $70 mln offer

‘Make trade happen’

NEW YORK, July 17, (RTRS): Steelers RB Bell turned down $70m offer Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell reportedly turned down a $70 million offer before breaking off contract talks with Pittsburgh.

Bell, who instead will play under a one-year deal worth $14.55 million due to the franchise designation, reportedly was seeking a contract worth at least $14.5 million per year.

NFL Network reported the contract Pittsburgh offered included $33 million guaranteed in the first two years and a value of $45 million over the first three years (not all guaranteed).

A glimpse into the Green Bay Packers’ books shows that NFL teams raked in about $255 million each in 2017, according to ESPN’s Darren Rovell.

As a public company, the Green Bay Packers must share their financial information. And the information the Packers released Monday showed the amount the teams received in revenue sharing, representing a total of more than $8 billion to the league’s 32 teams.

Bell

NFL camps open this week. The league published its 2018 rulebook June 28. And yet the league apparently still isn’t done tinkering with its kickoff rule.

According to a report Monday night by ESPN, an NFL spokesperson said the league is still considering “minor” changes to the rule, which is already a change from last season. Per the report, the league would have to recall the current rulebook and republish a revised edition should a change be made at this point.

If Earl Thomas’ feelings toward his current contract situation weren’t clear enough by him skipping the Seattle Seahawks’ mandatory minicamp last month, he reminded the team of his stance with an Instagram post Monday.

“Always been the underdog ain’t nothing new,” Thomas wrote as the caption to a picture of him working out. “Extend ... if you don’t want me let’s make a trade happen I understand it’s a bizz.”

As one of the newest members of the San Francisco 49ers, Richard Sherman’s divisional matchups against his former Seattle Seahawks teammates would have been interesting no matter what. Sherman’s remarks that the Seahawks “have lost their way” will only add to the drama.

The four-time Pro Bowl cornerback did not hold back when discussing his former team in a story published Tuesday in Sports Illustrated’s MMQB. Sherman helped the Seahawks win a Super Bowl during the 2013 season but said the franchise failed to keep a good thing going.