To tag or not tag Le’Veon Bell: that is the question
February 20th. That was the date that Le’Veon Bell claimed was the target date for he and the Steelers to agree on a long-term contract.
That day has come and gone and things are quiet on all fronts. Bell remains set to become an unrestricted free agent this spring if the two don’t do a deal before then. All eyes are now on March 6th, the official deadline for all teams to franchise tag their players. Every media outlet seems to be on “Bell Watch” to see if the Pittsburgh Steelers will get a long-term deal done with Bell, or if they will use the tag and now allow him to test free agency.
Bell, who was tagged during the 2017 season, had said in his own words:
We were way apart last year, but now we are close.
While they may be close, no the originally self-imposed deadline has come and gone without a new deal.
Last season, the franchise tag earned Bell $12.2 million dollars: roughly $4 million more than the next highest-paid running back. No one has really heard the exact number that Le’Veon Bell is demanding, but he has said repeatedly that he wants to be paid like a top running back and wide receiver.
Ike Taylor on @NFLTotalAccess says Le'Veon Bell told him he wants to be paid as No. 1 RB PLUS a No. 2 WR (his 75 rec were 2nd most for PIT)
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 19, 2017
While some may think the running back is worth that type of money, there’s also a case to be made that Bell could be in decline. I do want to preface that I love the kind of player Le’Veon Bell is. He runs great routes and is rock solid in pass protection, but his average 4.02 yards per carry (behind one of the league’s best offensive lines) does not help his case.
Kareem Hunt and Todd Gurley, who both had more rushing yards than Bell, each averaged 0.5 yards more per carry then Bell. (It’s also worth noting that Bell carried the Bell at least 40 more times than both of those players.)
According to PFF, in his 321 regular-season carries Bell only had two carries of more than 20 yards, and his longest run was 27 yards. Other running backs had bigger plays, and bigger plays mean larger averages. So the question is whether or not he has had too many carries, and could wind up in decline like a Demarco Murray, or if Bell will continue to push the envelope and become the franchise’s all-time best.
One thing appeared to be missing in 2017 was Bell’s lack of speed that we see in the top backs. This is not to minimize his impact as both a running and receiving threat on the field: that receiving aspect is what really sets Bell apart from his peers. However, he has to be realistic that the Steelers will not be pressured into paying him what “he” thinks he deserves, even with a retirement threat after tag.
The Steelers organization is known for being one of the hardest bargainers when it comes to players and their demands. It has boded well for them over the years as to not give in to the more ridiculous demands of a player. They (almost) never fold when a player holds out.
Bell has said he wants more guaranteed money, which makes sense considering the workload he gets and the fact that is maybe the most dynamic running back in the league. And because of Bell’s injury history, he wants long-term security.
If Bell does turn down the next serious offer, it’s hard to tell what his future in Pittsburgh will look like. Who knows if Bell actually cares about winning a championship or if it’s all about the money.
I’m sure many remember Eric Weddle, who the Steelers had serious interest in, saying he wanted to go to a winning team and then choosing the Baltimore Ravens.
