There's been quite some restlessness for Pittsburgh Steelers fans this NFL offseason due to star running back Le'Veon Bell's camp holdout.
Bell is seeking a more lucrative long-term deal to what the Steelers had initially offered him prior to the July 17 deadline for extensions for franchise players. It's been a month since that deadline, which goes to show that negotiations between the two sides remain at a virtual standstill and why the Michigan State product has been reluctant to return to the team in the midst of preseason action.
Bearing some rather fortunate news is ESPN's Adam Schefter, who reported that Bell will be good to before Week 1 of the regular season, albeit with no specific date just yet.
Steelers RB Le'Veon Bell will report back to team before regular season kicks off, though it remains unclear exactly when, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 17, 2017
On the plus side, there's some solace to be had with the virtual guarantee that Bell will be ready for the regular season. Then again, not having the 25-year-old getting tune-up reps in minicamp and the preseason is working against the Steelers, who will rely heavily on Bell's production as they did in the previous season.
Head coach Mike Tomlin was recently asked on his take regarding Bell's holdout situation and he shared the same concerns regarding his workhorse back's absence during the offseason, stating that he isn't comfortable that a resolution will be met by both parties anytime soon; much to the detriment of not just Bell, but the entire team just the same.
Whatever the outcome of Bell's possible contract extension will be, there's no doubt that Pittsburgh will be at a disadvantage come the regular season's kickoff, and matters will only get much worse the longer that this issue drags on.
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