Bell...AGAIN!

[feltdizz]

And this one:



QBs and WRs have the most seasons within 80% of peak performance while RBs have a lot fewer...also, a WR at age 31 is almost as exactly as productive as they were at age 27...

This is why the RB position has been devalued...this is why giving Bell $17 million per year is a worse investment than giving Brown $17 million per year...

interesting graphs Salp, thanks.

one thing I noticed was the yards per season average is pretty low compared to where Bell and AB are right now. I wonder how this graph looks for ELITE RB's.

[Shawn]

The graphs pull up what I've been trying to say. This is actually smart for both parties, not sure why there is so much drama surrounding it. The Steelers pay Bell at an elite level for the best years of his career. But, let him go as he is expected to decline. Another team pays him crazy money on a long term contract that he will likely under perform. He gets paid, Steelers get his best years, both parties shake hands and walk away. I don't understand the hate.

[Shawn]

And this brings up another good point. Why use a first round draft pick on a position with only 3-4 elite years?

[Northern_Blitz]

And this brings up another good point. Why use a first round draft pick on a position with only 3-4 elite years?

I think that the argument would be that RBs take the least amount of time to come in and be impact players. No data, but that's my sense.

[squidkid]

Yep. Put you on the ignore list and then talk $#!+ about you...

better yet. snitch to have you banned then have a 2 day rant about your fandom....

[Eddie Spaghetti]

The graphs pull up what I've been trying to say. This is actually smart for both parties, not sure why there is so much drama surrounding it. The Steelers pay Bell at an elite level for the best years of his career. But, let him go as he is expected to decline. Another team pays him crazy money on a long term contract that he will likely under perform. He gets paid, Steelers get his best years, both parties shake hands and walk away. I don't understand the hate.

that's what most people have been saying all along

just had one guy flapping his gums non stop about resetting the RB market

[Steel Maniac]

And this brings up another good point. Why use a first round draft pick on a position with only 3-4 elite years?

I think because the idea of trying to get it done in Ben's last three years is the drive right now.

[feltdizz]

The graphs pull up what I've been trying to say. This is actually smart for both parties, not sure why there is so much drama surrounding it. The Steelers pay Bell at an elite level for the best years of his career. But, let him go as he is expected to decline. Another team pays him crazy money on a long term contract that he will likely under perform. He gets paid, Steelers get his best years, both parties shake hands and walk away. I don't understand the hate.

I'm not completely sold that Bell's best years are behind him. Bell was just 21 when we drafted him. Backs of his caliber usually have 9 to 10 years of good production. While I think we may move on after this year due to the way things are playing out I don't think we are going to see a sharp decline in his play.

His production may drop a bit due to the team he signs with but he will still be a very effective RB.

Bell isn't a Mike Wallace where he has one trick. Bell can run, pass AND protect and while those things don't always show up in the stats it's definitely a huge contribution to an offense.

[RuthlessBurgher]

And this brings up another good point. Why use a first round draft pick on a position with only 3-4 elite years?

In terms of RB prospects, I like Darrius Guice as a player for sure, but rather than using our 1st round pick on him, I think there would be better value targeting someone like Sony Michel, Kerryon Johnson, or Rashaad Penny in round 2, which is where we found Le'Veon Bell in the first place (as opposed to using a first round pick on Rashard Mendenhall).

[feltdizz]

that's what most people have been saying all along

just had one guy flapping his gums non stop about resetting the RB market

oh the horror.. another poster isn't falling in line with the Bell needs to go crowd.

So many hurt feelings

[feltdizz]

In terms of RB prospects, I like Darrius Guice as a player for sure, but rather than using our 1st round pick on him, I think there would be better value targeting someone like Sony Michel, Kerryon Johnson, or Rashaad Penny in round 2, which is where we found Le'Veon Bell in the first place (as opposed to using a first round pick on Rashard Mendenhall).

I like Sony Michel, I think he would be a nice pick up in the second round if we went that route.

[Shawn]

In terms of RB prospects, I like Darrius Guice as a player for sure, but rather than using our 1st round pick on him, I think there would be better value targeting someone like Sony Michel, Kerryon Johnson, or Rashaad Penny in round 2, which is where we found Le'Veon Bell in the first place (as opposed to using a first round pick on Rashard Mendenhall).

I fully agree. There is only one guy I would use our first round pick on and that's Barkley who is a true generational back. And obviously, that isn't happening. I do like Rasaad Penny.

[feltdizz]

It will be interesting seeing how the draft plays out. Do we go offense BPA like JuJu early if our guy isn’t there?

Do we go D heavy and really address the most glaring weakness on this team?

RB early? I can’t see it but our FO is pretty unpredictable when it comes to skill position and draft rounds.

[Steel Maniac]

I fully agree. There is only one guy I would use our first round pick on and that's Barkley who is a true generational back. And obviously, that isn't happening. I do like Rasaad Penny.

I was reading up on Penny this past weekend and I was surprised because I thought he was smaller then he actually is. He's interesting as well as the Arizona St. guy as well.

[Steel Maniac]

In terms of RB prospects, I like Darrius Guice as a player for sure, but rather than using our 1st round pick on him, I think there would be better value targeting someone like Sony Michel, Kerryon Johnson, or Rashaad Penny in round 2, which is where we found Le'Veon Bell in the first place (as opposed to using a first round pick on Rashard Mendenhall).

Ruth, come on. Why are you calling Guice Rashard Mendenhall. Wow..what a slap! lmfao!!