A $100 million contract for Bell would infuriate most, but should it? Hear me out...

[feltdizz]

Steelers offered LB a nice deal last year, and he refused it. He's got one more year of mileage on him now. At this point, I'd be looking for a couple of good backs to replace him, for less money.

2 good backs pretty much means 2 less picks that could help our defense.

Funny how folks want a better D but are willing to draft more running backs instead of defenders.

[Captain Lemming]

Not sure if he is more valuable but I think he makes AB’s job A LOT easier when he is on the field.

So true......remember when Bell missed 10 games how Browns game tanked....2015..wait...career highs in both catches AND yardage......gotta look at that again, must be a mistake.

[Captain Lemming]

So true......remember when Bell missed 10 games how Browns game tanked....2015..wait...career highs in both catches AND yardage......gotta look at that again, must be a mistake.

OK, now I understand how Brown had a career year without Bells help Ben started only 11 games that year.
WAIT, that is what should NOT happen!!!!
Mike Vick and Landry split FIVE GAMES most of another game and Brown had a career year?
As did Bryant!!!!

How is that even possible when Bell is so crucial to making the everybody else better?

[Captain Lemming]

We also had:
More passing yards (therefore career seasons for the receivers)
More rushing yards
Obviously....more total yards

And drumroll please.......more POINTS than this season.

But we have no choice but to pay Bell more than entire running back rosters or the offense will implode on itself.
15 plus mil a year that could be used to shore up real needs with real talent.

[Captain Lemming]

2 good backs pretty much means 2 less picks that could help our defense.

Funny how folks want a better D but are willing to draft more running backs instead of defenders.

Or we could pick up any one one many “good” backs that are plentiful and cheap. SB champs did it.
Heck WE did it and didn’t miss a beat with DeAngelo.

[Disco1981]

We also had:
More passing yards (therefore career seasons for the receivers)
More rushing yards
Obviously....more total yards

And drumroll please.......more POINTS than this season.

But we have no choice but to pay Bell more than entire running back rosters or the offense will implode on itself.
15 plus mil a year that could be used to shore up real needs with real talent.

I think the Captain trumped you all...Not based on opinions, But facts...Night Night

[NorthCoast]

There are two camps; Bell is invaluable to the offense and Bell, while talented is not needed to win a SB. The Steeler brass seems to have come down to the latter opinion else a long term deal would have happened already,

[feltdizz]

We also had:
More passing yards (therefore career seasons for the receivers)
More rushing yards
Obviously....more total yards

And drumroll please.......more POINTS than this season.

But we have no choice but to pay Bell more than entire running back rosters or the offense will implode on itself.
15 plus mil a year that could be used to shore up real needs with real talent.

We also lost 6 games and needed a miracle by Shazier and Pac Man to beat the Bengals in the playoffs.

The closest we got to a AB was with AB and Bell on the field. We should have beat the Pats this year and AB was injured early in the game. When Bell went down the AFCCG DW was a non factor and AB couldn’t get open.

[feltdizz]

There are two camps; Bell is invaluable to the offense and Bell, while talented is not needed to win a SB. The Steeler brass seems to have come down to the latter opinion else a long term deal would have happened already,

This isn’t true. We tried to get Bell long term last year last year. We may be trying to get one down this year.

Its really up to Bell to agree to the offer we give him.

We definitely think he is needed because we paid him 12.5 mill last year and gave him an offer and it looks like we will pay another 14.5 this year.

[Steel Maniac]

Or we could pick up any one one many “good” backs that are plentiful and cheap. SB champs did it.
Heck WE did it and didn’t miss a beat with DeAngelo.

boom.....checkmate.

[Captain Lemming]

We also lost 6 games and needed a miracle by Shazier and Pac Man to beat the Bengals in the playoffs.

One more playoff win than THIS season.

When Bell went down the AFCCG DW was a non factor

Team was down 10 zip when Bell was in the game in the first quarter (got hurt as quarter was ending). I ain't no math wiz but I think over 4 quarters we were on pace to lose 40-0 while Bell and Brown were in the game.

DeAngelo was no beast that day true.

But, during his first series DeAngelo out gained Bell's total performance and HE scored our first touchdown on a 5 yard run.

and AB couldn’t get open.

You mean..........while Bell was in the game right?
AB had zero catches with Bell in the game Dizz. His first catch was during DeAngelos first series.

Nice try Dizz.

[Captain Lemming]

This isn’t true. We tried to get Bell long term last year last year. We may be trying to get one down this year.

Its really up to Bell to agree to the offer we give him.

We definitely think he is needed because we paid him 12.5 mill last year and gave him an offer and it looks like we will pay another 14.5 this year.

I do agree with this. While I think it's dumb, the team likely is perfectly willing to sign Bell long term. Bell has no incentive to agree to anything right now. He could well accept the long term deal or close the gap in his demands somewhat.

Its up to Bell.

[feltdizz]

One more playoff win than THIS season.

No, a bye week is technically winning a playoff game without even playing.

[phillyesq]

Yeah, that was the response I expected.

But are these cap hits totally unreasonable considering that we were willing to pay him $12M in 2017 and $14.5M in 2018?

$11.5M cap hit in 2018 at age 26
$12.5M cap hit in 2019 at age 27
$13.5M cap hit in 2020 at age 28
$14.5M cap hit in 2021 at age 29
Cut Bell after 4 seasons before he turns 30 with post June 1 designation.
$4M dead money cap hit in 2022
$4M dead money cap hit in 2023

And he gets to brag about resetting the RB market with a huge $102M deal that averages $17M season, while pocketing $60M in real money over the next 4 seasons (the $15M per year he rapped about) while finishing his 9 year career as a Steeler having earned $76 million total (his rookie deal plus last year's $12M and this new $60M).

I would be ok with that. The only caveat is that if the Steelers go down this road, they can't restructure Bell because he will be more of a drain on the cap when he is released. Crazy as it sounds, I'm not sure Bell would go for this deal.

This deal lower Bell's cap hit a bit for this year - and for the next few years - and allows us to focus our draft efforts on defense.

[Captain Lemming]

Crazy as it sounds, I'm not sure Bell would go for this deal.

That is certainly my HOPE.

This deal lower Bell's cap hit a bit for this year - and for the next few years - and allows us to focus our draft efforts on defense.

You miss entirely the benefit of letting him go. Money available to sign a good back, sign another defender AND draft defense.

Or sign a "top" defender and draft a back high (my preference).

Bottom line you have MORE resources to address defense not less by letting Bell go.

Only problem is we have already missed out on possible options.