Changed my thoughts about the Bell contract

[feltdizz]

WE told him his worth when WE wouldn’t budge from the $70 million...

our valuation is a starting point Slap.

If the first one is strong what makes you think the other 31 teams will all have lower offers?

The cap is going up, its in his best interest to see what other teams will pay him. Its funny how a player takes a chance on himself and uses the little bit of leverage he has and he gets called greedy and egotistical for it.

[Slapstick]

our valuation is a starting point Slap.

If the first one is strong what makes you think the other 31 teams will all have lower offers?

The cap is going up, its in his best interest to see what other teams will pay him. Its funny how a player takes a chance on himself and uses the little bit of leverage he has and he gets called greedy and egotistical for it.

That’s only because it is greedy and egotistical...making that inflated figure the starting point is another textbook definition of ego...and, as I have previously stated, he is entitled to be a greedy and egotistical as he wants...the “market” tends to reward that behavior...if I were Bell, I’d be greedy and egotistical, too...

[Eich]

Its funny how a player takes a chance on himself and uses the little bit of leverage he has and he gets called greedy and egotistical for it.

Why do you have an issue with calling it what it is?

Greed: having or showing an intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth or power.

He said he wanted to retire a Steeler. But it's clear that isn't want he wanted. He wanted to test free agency. Fine. So be it. With the offer the Steelers made, he would have had security and wealth beyond anything anyone on this board will ever have in 2 lifetimes. He's really in it to see what kind of bidding war 32 teams might result in. Even if they Steelers had guaranteed the next two years at $17M per, I don't think he would have taken it.

Like you said, our evaluation is his starting point. His goal was to get that starting point as high as he possibly could and then hit free agency to go higher.

[Starlifter]

He said he wanted to retire a Steeler. But it's clear that isn't want he wanted. He wanted to test free agency. Fine. So be it. With the offer the Steelers made, he would have had security and wealth beyond anything anyone on this board will ever have in 2 lifetimes. He's really in it to see what kind of bidding war 32 teams might result in. Even if they Steelers had guaranteed the next two years at $17M per, I don't think he would have taken it.

Like you said, our evaluation is his starting point. His goal was to get that starting point as high as he possibly could and then hit free agency to go higher.

I agree with this analysis.

[Steel Maniac]

He doesn't know his worth because two franchise tags have prevented him from being able to hit the open free agent market up to this point in his career.

His actions over the last two offseasons, declining to sign what appear to be generous long term contracts, have shown that an extreme desire to find out his true worth among all 32 teams, not just 1 team.

Well put............

[feltdizz]

Why do you have an issue with calling it what it is?

Greed: having or showing an intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth or power.

He said he wanted to retire a Steeler. But it's clear that isn't want he wanted. He wanted to test free agency. Fine. So be it. With the offer the Steelers made, he would have had security and wealth beyond anything anyone on this board will ever have in 2 lifetimes. He's really in it to see what kind of bidding war 32 teams might result in. Even if they Steelers had guaranteed the next two years at $17M per, I don't think he would have taken it.

Like you said, our evaluation is his starting point. His goal was to get that starting point as high as he possibly could and then hit free agency to go higher.

because I don't think you guys are calling it correctly

and it's not about his worth vs ours...

it's his worth vs his peers.

There is a RB's getting 12.5 mill next year who had 600 yards rushing in 2017.

[Slapstick]

because I don't think you guys are calling it correctly

and it's not about his worth vs ours...

it's his worth vs his peers.

There is a RB's getting 12.5 mill next year who had 600 yards rushing in 2017.

The Steelers offer crushed the contracts of his peers...we’re calling it correctly...

[SteelerOfDeVille]

If I’m making $30 dollars and hour and the next highest paid guy is only making $18, then, yes, I’m being greedy when I expect to make more than that $30 figure...I might even be correct....but, I’m still being greedy...

Not if everybody else sucks and you're doing the work of 2 of 'em.

Moreover, CEO of a company that makes millions doesn't make the same as a CEO of a company that makes Billions. Same job. Bigger production and responsibilities.

[hawaiiansteel]

Le'Veon Bell's contract decline is a good thing for Steelers

By BRYAN DEARDO

Le'Veon Bell's decline of Pittsburgh's contract offer on Monday was a best case situation for the black and gold.

For a team whose aspiration is to win the Super Bowl every year, there is an even bigger onus to get the job done in 2018. The Steelers, as good as they've been, weren't able to win the Super Bowl with Bell in any of his first five seasons in Pittsburgh. With Bell only signed through the 2018 season, there should be an even bigger push to win it all this fall, and that's a good thing for a Steelers team that -- if healthy -- should be good enough to compete to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LIII.

The Steelers will get Bell's six best professional seasons; it's hard to envision him playing better somewhere else -- without Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Pittsburgh's talented offensive line -- at an older age. He may still be a Pro Bowl talent, but Bell will ultimately be remembered by what he did as a member of the Steelers. On Monday, Bell promised that 2018 will be his "best season to date." Brown told ESPN's Josina Anderson that he expects Bell to play "pissed off" in 2018 while reinforcing his case for a bigger contract. If this is true, Steeler Nation can expect another banner year from No.26 in 2018.

While the Steelers know how good Bell is, they will surely use the 2018 season to see how good his backups are, particularly second year back James Conner and rookie Jaylen Samuels. Conner received praise for his vastly improved conditioning during spring practices, while Mike Tomlin said that Samuels' versatility out of the backfield is "as good as advertised." While Bell has handled most of the workload in the past, expect Samuels and Conner to see considerable playing time in 2018 in the event that Bell isn't around in 2019.

Obviously, the money Pittsburgh saved by Bell declining their offer is a positive. With Bell not signed longterm, the Steelers can use that money to strengthen their defense. They can also use part of it on Big Ben in the event that Roethlisbeger does elect to play beyond his current contract. That would also mean a new deal for Maurkice Pouncey, who has said on numerous occasions that he wants to play as long as Big Ben does. Both players' contracts are set to expire at the end of the 2019 season.

Super Bowl windows don't say open forever. For this current Steelers team, 2018 will mark the fifth year that the team has a legitimate shot at adding to its collection of Vince Lombardi Trophies. While a sense of urgency always exists within Pittsburgh's locker room, Bell's expected departure in 2019 should heighten the Steelers' determination to make the most of the team's championship opportunity in 2018.

https://247sports.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/Article/LeVeon-Bells-contract-decline-is-a-good-thing-for-Pittsburgh-Steelers-119873448/

[feltdizz]

Not if everybody else sucks and you're doing the work of 2 of 'em.

Moreover, CEO of a company that makes millions doesn't make the same as a CEO of a company that makes Billions. Same job. Bigger production and responsibilities.

yeah, if I'm doing twice the work and then some why shouldn't I expect more than $30 an hour?

especially if I know a few other employers will pay $40 an hour for my services?

[Slapstick]

Not if everybody else sucks and you're doing the work of 2 of 'em.

Moreover, CEO of a company that makes millions doesn't make the same as a CEO of a company that makes Billions. Same job. Bigger production and responsibilities.

But, Bell isn’t producing like 2 of the next highest paid backs...

And the CEO analogy doesn’t hold up...Bell’s job isn’t that much bigger than most of the other starting RBs...

Well, it is in his mind, but not in reality...

[SteelerOfDeVille]

But, Bell isn’t producing like 2 of the next highest paid backs...

And the CEO analogy doesn’t hold up...Bell’s job isn’t that much bigger than most of the other starting RBs...

Well, it is in his mind, but not in reality...

AGAIN, comparing the top all-time stats guy ever to the guys out now - not the same. It's top all-time RB paychecks. You've missed the mark there thinking it's apples-to-apples with other guys in the league.

When Zeke Elliott come up, he'll get what Bell asked for... David Johnson likely will, too.

[feltdizz]

But, Bell isn’t producing like 2 of the next highest paid backs...

And the CEO analogy doesn’t hold up...Bell’s job isn’t that much bigger than most of the other starting RBs...

Well, it is in his mind, but not in reality...

Next highest RB paid RB after is Jerod McKinnon. His cap hit is 10.5 Mill and he had 650 rushing yards last year.

[Northern_Blitz]

But, Bell isn’t producing like 2 of the next highest paid backs...

And the CEO analogy doesn’t hold up...Bell’s job isn’t that much bigger than most of the other starting RBs...

Well, it is in his mind, but not in reality...

How about "producing like the next 2 highest paid running back that aren't on rookie deals that pay them dramatically less than what they would get on an open market"?

Would that be more factually correct?

[Northern_Blitz]

I think that the Terrible Podcast has a pretty good level headed discussion about this.

My summary of the podcast:
- Bell's not unreasonable for wanting his market value
- The Steelers made a reasonable offer (that wouldn't be as high as what Bell would get on the free market)
- They would have taken the deal because they thought that the difference between market value and the offer was probably not huge.
- They discuss how Bell's 2x tag years + whatever he gets next year will probably be better than what he was offered last year.
- They also discuss how they don't think that whatever he gets on the open market next year will be significantly higher than what the Steelers offered him
-- They do bring up that Bell is taking a risk that he might get injured and not get that same offer next year
-- They do not bring up that if he does get the same offer, he actually finishes $14.5M ahead of where he would be if he took the offer now.

Ultimately, I think it's a risk management decision by Bell. And there are 2 ways to look at it.
1) Bell's already got more money than a reasonable person would spend in a lifetime, why not take the large deal (that's still an underpayment) and eliminate a bunch of risk. OR
2) Bell's already got more money than a reasonable person would spend in a lifetime, why not take as much risk as possible to get as much money as possible.

Having financial security means that you are free to choose little risk or maximum risk without it actually hurting your life. I think it's just about personality whether you want option 1 or 2. I feel like I'd take option 1, but I'm also not already set for life.