Hmmm…Maybe the Steelers Don’t Need Le'Veon Bell After All?

Let me be the first to clear up any confusion: Le’Veon Bell is an all-world running back, showing the ability to run with power, patience, and be a deadly threat in the pass game. There is no one in the NFL with a skill set quite like Bell’s. If Le’Veon were to have reported to the Steelers at the start of the season like a true teammate would have done, I firmly believe the Steelers would be in 1^st place in the AFC North, vying for a spot in the playoffs and potentially a first-round bye. However, since the selfish running back, who is refusing to play for $14.5 million this year, has not shown up to Pittsburgh for the first 8 weeks, the Steelers are now……in 1^st place in the AFC North, vying for a spot in the playoffs and potentially a first round bye.

James Conner has been more than admirable while filling in for Bell. Conner, a 2^nd year back out of Pitt, is 3^rd in the league in rushing yards and 2^nd in the NFL in touchdowns. Pretty tough to lead the league in any rushing statistical category these days. Todd Gurley is pretty good, too. Anyways, the point is, Conner has actually been statistically more impressive than Le’Veon Bell ever has through the first 7 games of the season.

I mean, Conner is the first running back in the 86-year history of the Steelers to run for at least 100 yards and two touchdowns in three straight games. Again, I’d still take Bell over Conner, but the gap may be closer than some people might think. Conner is proving either one of two things. One, he is proving that he is a really, really good running back. Or two, he’s proving that it’s not that hard to be a running back in Pittsburgh. With Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, and Juju Smith-Schuster opening up the box for the ball carrier, how much money do you really need to spend on a ball carrier? Conner is making less than a million dollars this year. Bell wants $17 million a year. Hmmm…maybe the Steelers don’t need Le’Veon Bell after all?

So what should the Steelers do with Bell? First of all, Le’Veon needs to show up by Week 11 to become a free agent this Spring. There have been many times since preseason camp began that reporters made statements about when Le’Veon would return, and they’ve all been incorrect. But there has to be a 100% chance that Le’Veon will be back by Week 11. So is he the Steelers starting running back in Week 12? I don’t know. There seems to be more than a handful of miffed Steelers players, busting their butt every week during practice and in the games while Le’Veon sits home and tweets. What is the gap between Conner and Bell, and is it big enough to potentially lose the locker room over?

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The solution is easier said than done. The Steelers need to trade Le’Veon Bell, and they have to trade him to an NFC team that wants him for the rest of the year, but is not likely to contend even with him. That’s a very small group of teams. The trade deadline is tomorrow, and the Steelers can’t be asking for too much.  NFL.com is reporting that Bell would have to be willing to sign the franchise tender with a new team by Tuesday at 4 pm, and the Steelers are hoping to land a 3^rd round pick or better in return. A 3^rd round pick for the rest of the year? I think a contender should give a good thought to making that offer. But again, who will the Steelers be willing to trade with? Cross out the Ravens, Bengals, and Patriots in the AFC. No chance. Offer the next couple 1^st rounders and the Steelers will say no. They’re not losing to Bell in the playoffs, so I think he has to go to the NFC. The Eagles make the most sense, but do they really want to see him win a Super Bowl? And time is ticking quickly on the possibility of a trade.

Regardless of what the Steelers and Bell decide to do, it is mind blowing to me that he has chosen to lose at least $6.84 million by refusing to report to the Steelers. How nice would it be to be able to afford that? It’s not like he’s holding out from a deal because he’s way under paid. He has a $14.5 million option! Would’ve been the highest paid back in the league. It honestly makes me hate Le’Veon Bell even more than I already did. How is he supposed to ever say anything about the team or in a pregame setting ever again? His teammates won’t listen to him. He has shown for 8 straight weeks now that he only cares about 1 thing: money. The rest of his team is out there grinding, fighting for a spot in the playoffs. Le’Veon, since you are probably reading this because you are not doing anything else these days, here is my reasoning as to why you are a greedy, selfish, spoiled brat.  In the last 8 weeks, I’ve worked about 50 hours a week as a teacher, 28 hours a week as a coach, and probably just over 20 hours a week as a blogger. My takehome? Eh, a measly couple thousand. But that’s okay. Because that’s a hard earned couple thousand. That’s why my coworkers and players respect me. They can count on me to be there. They would have no problem handing me the ball on 4^th and 1 at the goal line. And I’d probably pick it up behind that Steelers offensive line.

Author’s Note: I reserve the right to change my opinion on Bell should he sign with the Browns in the off-season. People forget he’s from Ohio. And he obviously doesn’t care about winning, so he’ll fit right in.