Alejandro Villanueva has teammate on his side in contract battle with Steelers

[Captain Lemming]

Which is the beautiful thing about football. If a player can't produce the way he needs to, you get cut. Such is real life.

I'm not complaining. Just countering the "players don't give money back" logic.
If a team can dump a player under contract, I don't begrudge a player not showing up when he has no binding contract.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Ramon Foster understands Bell’s absence, appreciates Villanueva’s presence
Posted by Mike Florio on June 8, 2017, 11:33 AM EDT

Two prominent Steelers currently don’t have contracts for 2017 or beyond. One isn’t attending offseason practice, even as an observer. Another one is showing up and practicing without a deal. Steelers guard Ramon Foster supports both of them.

“When you’re a superstar, you do what you want,” Foster joked regarding running back Le’Veon Bell, via Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Saddled with the exclusive franchise tag worth $12.1 million for 2017, Bell hasn’t attended practice, although he reportedly visited the team’s facility last week.

“I haven’t seen or heard much about his situation,” Foster said. “It will be good to see him. I heard he’s in town.”

Left tackle Alejandro Villanueva definitely is in town, because he’s participating in practice without a contract.

“We’re happy to see him,” Foster said. “[The contract] will get done eventually. Kudos to him. He doesn’t have to be here. . . . I’m not sure what kind of agreement they have, but he’s choosing to be here, and that’s what I appreciate about him. He’s the ultimate team guy. Hopefully that shows in his pay increase.”

A pay increase is likely coming, eventually. The question becomes whether he’ll get more than the relative peanuts the Steelers are compelled to pay him, and ultimately whether another team would sacrifice up to a first-round pick for a potential crack at Villanueva if/when he becomes a restricted free agent next year.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/06/08/ramon-foster-understands-bells-absence-appreciates-villanuevas-presence/

[RuthlessBurgher]

Villanueva: 'I have a lot of coaching to get'
Posted 1 hour ago


Teresa Varley
Steelers.com

Alejandro Villanueva understands the importance of taking part in OTAs.

Alejandro Villanueva knows what it means to be there for others. He knows the value of teamwork. And he understands the only way to get better at anything in life, is to keep working at it. Those were values that were a necessity when he was an Army Ranger, as well as now as the Steelers starting left tackle.

And those are reasons why Villanueva has been a regular at the Steelers’ OTAs, despite not having signed the one-year tender the team offered him back in March.

He could have made the decision not to come, to stay away from the voluntary workouts. But he didn’t, and said the decision wasn’t a tough one because he knows he has work to do.

“Not in terms of my preparedness for the season because I have to get so much better,” said Villanueva, speaking for the first time during OTAs. “I can’t come out here and say I am ready and prepared. I have a lot of coaching to get. I have to be able to continue to improve as a player. It’s not a matter of what I want to do, what my agent wants to do. It’s a matter of what I need as a player and then all of the other decisions will sort themselves out.”

Villanueva has been his own worst critic since he first joined the Steelers, but his growth and development, how he handles the position, is definitely noticeable. Teammates have praised him, coaches have praised him, and opponents have praised him. But he still hasn’t found the comfort level at the position, nor does he think he or anyone ever will.

“I never feel comfortable playing left tackle,” said Villanueva. “It’s not a comfortable position. I don’t think anybody’s ever felt comfortable playing left tackle because you always get exposed, you are always going to give up plays, whether you are the best or the worst in the NFL. It’s a matter of increasing your consistency so you don’t look bad all of the time. I’m getting comfortable being uncomfortable.

“Every time I get in my stance it’s a humbling moment because I know there are so many good players out there, so many things that can happen during a play and you have to execute at a very high level to get the results you want.”

Villanueva is hoping he gets the results he wants with the long-term deal, but said he is keeping his focus strictly on football, and letting the negotiations play out between his agent and the front office.

“It’s not my issue to solve,” said Villanueva. “It’s a negotiation that’s between my agent and the front office. I play pool with Kevin (Colbert) after practice. It’s something we don’t talk about. I am here to get better. Whatever happens, happens. It’s not something I can control. I am trying to be a Steeler. It’s something my agent and the front office will have to sort out.

“Being part of the Steelers is unbelievable. It’s awesome. It’s a great building. I love everybody here. I have personal relationships. I don’t have a part and say in all that goes on.”

http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Villanueva-I-have-a-lot-of-coaching-to-get/17e0e1e3-dd68-4209-b141-2460c5db586e

[brothervad]

Just asking for a general opinion on this one...

Knowing the Steelers like we do...(although maybe things have been evolving)

Is there a good chance the Alejandro gets a contract extension but Bell does not?

If you were going to break it down by odds (%)

What would your guess be for:

Both get extensions
Villanueva only
Bell only

I really don't know where I would go for sure but of the top of my head...
(likely/unlikely)
a) 50-50
b) 30-70
c) 60-40 (this could go considerably higher on the unlikely side if there is an absence of mandatory stuff to send a statement)

brothervad

[Oviedo]

I would bet that both AV and Bell get extensions. The team owns rights on AV for the next two years. He would be foolish not to take a contract with about $4-5M in guaranteed money...4 years $10-11M plus performance bonuses will be about right

Bell also would be dumb not to take a reasonable extension. With his injury history his value could go from sky high to pretty low in just one play. He will get an offer with double digit millions in guaranteed money and he should jump at it

[RuthlessBurgher]

Alejandro Villanueva won’t commit to attending minicamp
Posted by Josh Alper on June 8, 2017, 4:20 PM EDT

Steelers left tackle Alejandro Villanueva hasn’t signed his exclusive rights free agent tender with the team, but that has not stopped him from taking part in Organized Team Activities this spring.

That tender calls for Villanueva to make $615,000 this season, which is less than the going rate for starters at the position and would like to work out a different contract with the team. That has not happened to this point and Villanueva says he hasn’t discussed it with Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert when the two men play pool at the team’s facility.

Villanueva, who joined the Steelers after serving as an Army Ranger, said Thursday that he doesn’t know if he’ll be at next week’s minicamp and said he’ll consult with his agent, who has been talking to Colbert and the Steelers about the tackle’s contract.

“Obviously I don’t have a part or a say in all of the things that go on,” Villanueva said, via ESPN.com. “I’ve taken orders my whole life, right now I’m working with a really good agent, I’ll do whatever he tells me to do, you guys can ask him questions about my future. I have no really good answers at this point.”

Villanueva’s decision to take part in OTAs drew praise from guard Ramon Foster, but it appears his status for future work will remain in doubt unless and until there’s an agreement on a new deal.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/06/08/alejandro-villanueva-wont-commit-to-attending-minicamp/

[squidkid]

offer villa a reasonable deal,
offer bell a deal that takes into consideration of him being injury prone and a doper, if he takes it great, if he signs his tender great, if he sits out the year, so what......tag him until he can prove he's clean and healthy...............we hold the cards on both these guys, but one is deserving more than the other right now.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

I would bet that both AV and Bell get extensions. The team owns rights on AV for the next two years. He would be foolish not to take a contract with about $4-5M in guaranteed money...4 years $10-11M plus performance bonuses will be about right

that sounds low to me

I think more along the lines 4/24 with about 12 guaranteed is reasonable

[Slapstick]

When Villanueva reaches unrestricted free agency, he will be 30...I think the Steelers like him, but between his age and Jerald Hawkins...

[feltdizz]

it's a business... he gets paid when he gets paid and he should do whatever he needs to in order to get PAID!!!

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Just asking for a general opinion on this one...

Knowing the Steelers like we do...(although maybe things have been evolving)

Is there a good chance the Alejandro gets a contract extension but Bell does not?

If you were going to break it down by odds (%)

What would your guess be for:

Both get extensions
Villanueva only
Bell only

I really don't know where I would go for sure but of the top of my head...
(likely/unlikely)
a) 50-50
b) 30-70
c) 60-40 (this could go considerably higher on the unlikely side if there is an absence of mandatory stuff to send a statement)

brothervad

Taking the two situations separately, I'd say that there is a 90% chance AV gets a new contract. I don't recall a situation where this team has told a player that it would get done and they reneged. I also don't see AV as the type of player whose only loyalty is to the dollar. Not saying that's right or wrong, just that at his age and life experience, I think that the fact that he seems to like being in Pittsburgh, and that they are the team who gave him a chance when there didn't seem to be anything anywhere else, will make compromise much easier.

Bell is a different circumstance. First off, he has several strikes against him personally: Multiple drug offender, never finished a season, rap career in which he tells the world he wants $12M a year. On the other hand, he is also currently the best RB in the game. This is more an organizational opinion, and I don't know which way they might lean. Will they weigh the off-field and injury history as greater than the on-field production? I honestly can't answer one way or the other. Even then. If they want to sign him but he demands an amount higher than the Steelers are willing to pay, then he could become an Alan Faneca. I'll say 50-50 chance as my answer to the chances of Bell signing long term.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Alejandro Villanueva at Steelers minicamp
Posted by Josh Alper on June 13, 2017, 1:28 PM EDT

Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell isn’t at the team’s minicamp this week, which is not mandatory for him because he has not signed his franchise tender yet.

Another Steelers offensive starter without a contract is in attendance, however. Left tackle Alejandro Villanueva got a $615,000 exclusive rights free agent tender from the team this offseason, but would like a new deal and said last week that he wasn’t sure if he would attend the minicamp despite his participation in the voluntary portion of the offseason calendar.

Villanueva ultimately decided to report on Tuesday.

Villanueva, who served as an Army Ranger after playing football at West Point, told Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL Media that he is at minicamp out of “respect” for offensive line coach Mike Munchak and because the team has “given me so much,” including an education about how to play football. We’ll find out over the next few months if Villanueva will be making any more money to continue learning and playing in Pittsburgh.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/06/13/alejandro-villanueva-at-steelers-minicamp/

[squidkid]

Alejandro Villanueva at Steelers minicamp
Posted by Josh Alper on June 13, 2017, 1:28 PM EDT

Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell isn’t at the team’s minicamp this week, which is not mandatory for him because he has not signed his franchise tender yet.

Another Steelers offensive starter without a contract is in attendance, however. Left tackle Alejandro Villanueva got a $615,000 exclusive rights free agent tender from the team this offseason, but would like a new deal and said last week that he wasn’t sure if he would attend the minicamp despite his participation in the voluntary portion of the offseason calendar.

Villanueva ultimately decided to report on Tuesday.

Villanueva, who served as an Army Ranger after playing football at West Point, told Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL Media that he is at minicamp out of “respect” for offensive line coach Mike Munchak and because the team has “given me so much,” including an education about how to play football. We’ll find out over the next few months if Villanueva will be making any more money to continue learning and playing in Pittsburgh.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/06/13/alejandro-villanueva-at-steelers-minicamp/

says a lot about each ones character

[feltdizz]

if only this whole team was filled with former Army Rangers. We could have a whole offensive line for around 5 mill per year.

[Oviedo]

Alejandro Villanueva at Steelers minicamp
Posted by Josh Alper on June 13, 2017, 1:28 PM EDT

Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell isn’t at the team’s minicamp this week, which is not mandatory for him because he has not signed his franchise tender yet.

Another Steelers offensive starter without a contract is in attendance, however. Left tackle Alejandro Villanueva got a $615,000 exclusive rights free agent tender from the team this offseason, but would like a new deal and said last week that he wasn’t sure if he would attend the minicamp despite his participation in the voluntary portion of the offseason calendar.

Villanueva ultimately decided to report on Tuesday.

Villanueva, who served as an Army Ranger after playing football at West Point, told Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL Media that he is at minicamp out of “respect” for offensive line coach Mike Munchak and because the team has “given me so much,” including an education about how to play football. We’ll find out over the next few months if Villanueva will be making any more money to continue learning and playing in Pittsburgh.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/06/13/alejandro-villanueva-at-steelers-minicamp/

Doesn't sound like much of a "battle" between AV and the Steelers as the title would overstate.

AV is doing the right thing. He understands that his best chance of a good contract is to stay engaged with the team. Ask Mike Wallace how playing hard ball with the team helps your chances of being on the team.

The Steelers will do the right thing by AV...it will just take some time.

Bell on the other hand is becoming a nuisance. No reason to stay away. He is accomplishing nothing. See the Wallace comment above