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Despite saying he’d be back during the team’s bye week, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell has still been absent from the team. The belief was that Bell continued not to report in order to ensure he wouldn’t get dealt before the trade deadline on Oct. 30.
The trade deadline has now passed, which ensures Bell is set to stay in Pittsburgh for the rest of the season, but he still nowhere to be found heading into Week 9, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network:
As the Steelers get ready to begin meetings for another Wednesday of a work week, RB Le’Veon Bell is not present. He wasn’t going to show up before the trade deadline, ensuring he’d remain on the team… but he didn’t show up after, either. Still James Conner’s show.
It remains to be seen exactly what Bell’s reason for not showing up is now that he’s basically ensured to stay with the Steelers. Either way, he will have to show up in the next few weeks in order to accrue the service time he needs to hit free agency.
It’s not as if the Steelers are sorely in need of his services, either. After a slow start to the season, the Steelers have now reeled off three straight wins with Bell’s replacement, James Conner, continuing to star.
The second-year running back has rushed for at least 110 yards with two touchdowns in each of their three wins against the Falcons, Bengals, and Browns. And with or without Bell, the Steelers will be counting on Conner to continue his fine form against the Ravens on Sunday.