On Tuesday afternoon just prior to the deadline, the Pittsburgh Steelers officially placed star running back Le'Veon Bell under the franchise tag for the second straight year. This move has immediately drawn much attention given that Bell had previously stated that he had no desire to play under that designation once again.
In fact, the 26-year-old had indicated that he could possibly sit out or retire if that situation were to arise once more. According to Aditi Kinkhabwala of The NFL Network, a few of Bell's teammates voiced that they don't believe that he will actually step away from the lucrative play he would receive in 2018 but rather could sit out a couple of games.
Just got off phone w/ one of Le’Veon Bell’s teammates. He says of that “retirement” talk, “No way does he walk away from $14.5 million.” But… he says if the RB does have to play on the tag, he can see Bell skipping a game or two. #Steelers
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) March 6, 2018
Although this would lead to him possibly losing out on some game checks, this scenario isn't completely out of the realm of possibility. Keep in mind, Bell had missed almost the entire offseason that included OTAs, training camp, and the preseason due to a holdout before officially signing the franchise tag tender less than a week before the season opener.
There is clearly no desire by the Pro Bowl running back to play under the franchise tag. He has been quite vocal about his position and his desire to sign a lucrative multi-year to remain with the Steelers for the long haul. It has simply been that both sides haven't been able to agree on a comfortable number in contract negotiations
Bell has certainly been performing like a player that is deserving of a contract that would make him the highest-paid player at his position. He is coming off yet another highly productive season where he finished third in the league with 1,291 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns and a career-best 85 catches for 655 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns.
His 85 receptions are the most by a running back in a single season in team history. Meanwhile, his 1,946 total scrimmage yards were second in the NFL and the third most in a single season in franchise history.
He is arguably the best running back in the league that is a legitimate dual-threat player out of the backfield as both a runner and receiver. Bell has become the primary cog in the Steelers' offense that has made them a Super Bowl contending team over the last several years. If the two sides are unable to work out a new deal before the July 16 deadline, there is a chance things could get hectic in Pittsburgh.
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