The cloud of star running back Le'Veon Bell's contract situation has hovered over the head of the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise for the last several months, and it has now bled into the early going of the 2018 regular season.
In response to there being no imminent resolution in sight, the Steelers have taken Bell off their official depth chart heading into Week 2 action against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Steelers have shifted their focus to being fully committed to second-year running back James Conner holding down the starting duties with Bell out of action. In the opener, Conner showcased that he can more than handle those massive responsibilities, rushing for 135 yards on 31 carries with a pair of touchdowns along with five catches for 57 receiving yards against the Cleveland Browns.
The 23-year-old displayed plenty of versatility on the field with his all-around production, as he was utilized in a similar fashion to what the Steelers have done in the past with Bell. It could be interpreted as the franchise sending a message to the star running back that he could be replaced by Conner, who displayed some great potential to develop into a workhorse out of the backfield if given the opportunity long-term.
The Steelers desire to have Bell back in the mix, but there doesn't appear to be a timetable for his return to the fold. Instead, the Steelers have moved on in another direction with Conner. It doesn't appear the Steelers are pushing Bell to come back, as his eventual replacement has grabbed ahold of that starting job with a very strong start. The longer that he sits out, the more secure Conner could become in that starting role this season.
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