Earlier in the NFL offseason, Pittsburgh Steelers placed All-Pro running back Le'Veon Bell on a franchise tag but were unable to agree to a long-term deal prior to last month's deadline.
This has created a cloud of uncertainty around Bell's future with the organization beyond next season. In light of that, head coach Mike Tomlin didn't sound too comfortable with the situation, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.
“I’m not. I’m not comfortable,” Tomlin said. “I think it would be naïve to be comfortable. If somebody is not here working and developing in the formal ways that we subscribe, then there are potential consequences for that. Consequences for him individually. There are consequences for us collectively. So, no I’m not [comfortable].”
The 25-year-old is currently slated to make $12.1 million next season, which would put him among the highest paid players at his position in 2017 but he has remained fixated on hammering out a long-term deal.
The Steelers had made a pair of offers from $30 million over two seasons to $42 million over three years, but Bell decided to turn both down. It has put the organization in the position of having to rethink their strategy of how they are going to work out a new deal with him next summer.
Pittsburgh has the option to put the franchise tag on him next summer, but there is likely an onus to work out a new contract. Through his first four seasons in the league, Bell has proven to be arguably the best running back in the league when healthy and on the field coming off 1,258 rushing yards despite playing in just 12 games last season.
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