The Pittsburgh Steelers were hopeful that this would be the year they got a long-term deal done with running back Le'Veon Bell. Unfortunately, it appears his status will be up in the air once again after the 2018 NFL season.
Bell and the Steelers engaged in contract negotiations all the way up until the last second of the deadline. However, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, he will play under the franchise tag for a second straight year:
The Steelers and star RB Le’Veon Bell were not able to come to terms on a long-term extension by today’s 4 pm deadline, source said. He’ll play on the $14.5M franchise tag. And likely won’t show up for a while.
The news deals a blow to Steelers fans hoping to put all of this behind them. Unfortunately, it seems Bell's relationship with the team continues to dwindle.
The report is quite a reversal of fortune for Pittsburgh. Head coach Mike Tomlin was adamant about there being some “good news” in the near future regarding Bell's contract. However, things seem to be getting worse by the day.
A second consecutive franchise tag brings about a number of issues for both sides. First and foremost, is the lack of long-term security with the team. Bell has said on more than one occasion that he wanted to retire a Steeler. Unfortunately, that future took a hit after the latest stalled negotiations.
The tag also means that Bell likely will not be a participant in training camp this year. Although he has managed to perform at a high level regardless, his absence will undoubtedly bring some unwanted attention toward the team prior to the start of the 2018 NFL season.
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