There has been a lot of backlash from players and fans over Le'Veon Bell holding out from the Pittsburgh Steelers, but Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette thinks it's a smart move from Bell as he tries to save his body:
Fournette on RB Bell holdout: “A lot of people are upset with his decision-making, but I think it’s smart. He’s saving his body.” #Jaguars
— Eugene Frenette (@GeneFrenette) September 6, 2018
Bell will become a free agent this offseason as long as he reports to the team by Week 10, and the most important thing for him is that he goes into free agency healthy. Bell hasn't said he is fine with losing game checks this year, but it seems like the money he could make this year by playing isn't that important to him based on how he's approaching this situation.
Fournette is still a few years away from hitting free agency. Hopefully, he and the Jaguars won't ever reach a similar point. But if things were to get bad, the former LSU running back seems to be hinting he would do the exact same thing.
For now, Bell holding out could be a huge positive for Jacksonville. The Steelers and Jaguars are two of the best teams in the AFC, and if Bell holding out costs Pittsburgh a game or two early in the season, that could help the Jaguars finish ahead of them in the standings.
Last year, however, it didn't matter that the Jaguars were a lower seed as they went into Pittsburgh in the playoffs and won a shootout. The Steelers and Jaguars will kick off their season Sunday, with Pittsburgh set to play without its star running back.
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