Bell Raps......... again

[flippy]

I don't think this is true, while folks wouldn't be as annoyed I think they would still be frustrated we paid Bell that much.

We'll complain no matter what. That's part of being a fan.

Personally, I want Bell to get everything he wants from the team because he entertains me. He's a great player.

But I also want the team to be able to afford other players and will always wonder what we could have got for that extra $3m? That one extra player could be the difference between us winning the next SuperBowl. And I think we all care more about winning than Bell getting paid.

[NorthCoast]

We'll complain no matter what. That's part of being a fan.

Personally, I want Bell to get everything he wants from the team because he entertains me. He's a great player.

But I also want the team to be able to afford other players and will always wonder what we could have got for that extra $3m? That one extra player could be the difference between us winning the next SuperBowl. And I think we all care more about winning than Bell getting paid.

^this. While Bell on the Steelers is exciting, most fans don't want him at possible expense of a Superbowl winning team.

[Steel Maniac]

We'll complain no matter what. That's part of being a fan.

Personally, I want Bell to get everything he wants from the team because he entertains me. He's a great player.

But I also want the team to be able to afford other players and will always wonder what we could have got for that extra $3m? That one extra player could be the difference between us winning the next SuperBowl. And I think we all care more about winning than Bell getting paid.

Boom..............

[feltdizz]

We'll complain no matter what. That's part of being a fan.

Personally, I want Bell to get everything he wants from the team because he entertains me. He's a great player.

But I also want the team to be able to afford other players and will always wonder what we could have got for that extra $3m? That one extra player could be the difference between us winning the next SuperBowl. And I think we all care more about winning than Bell getting paid.

This is why I think Bell feels like he is the villain.

I really don't understand how not winning a SB gets laid at his feet.

Tuitt is paid handsomely and was hurt all of last year. AB makes 16 mill a year and no one besides Cap Lemming has pointed to his contract as the reason we can't get better players to win a SB. Ben is paid handsomely, almost no one blames his money as the reason we aren't in a SB.

Literally any other player making 7 mill a year or more can be blamed for the reason we are one player away from a SB.

Yet it's all put on Bell?

That's some Black Sheep of the family excuse if I ever heard it.

[feltdizz]

^this. While Bell on the Steelers is exciting, most fans don't want him at possible expense of a Superbowl winning team.

smh.. so it's Bell or a SB? If we get rid of Bell and don't make a SB then who becomes our huckleberry?

How are you guys coming to the conclusion that Bell stops us from a SB?

Not sure if I used it right but I love that line...lol.

[Slapstick]

It isn’t a certainty that signing Bell costs the team a SB any more than not signing Bell will cost the team a SB...

However, there is a salary structure in the NFL, and signing Bell to a contract that is WAY out of that structure could absolutely be detrimental to the overall team...as you know, under a salary cap, there is a finite amount of resources that a team is permitted to spend, so overspending on one position leads to underspending on another...there are positions where paying a premium is warranted: Franchise QB, Star TD scoring WR...there is a threshold that the Steelers have not been willing to cross and Bell’s demands are well beyond that threshold...

[Northern_Blitz]

This is why I think Bell feels like he is the villain.

I really don't understand how not winning a SB gets laid at his feet.

Tuitt is paid handsomely and was hurt all of last year. AB makes 16 mill a year and no one besides Cap Lemming has pointed to his contract as the reason we can't get better players to win a SB. Ben is paid handsomely, almost no one blames his money as the reason we aren't in a SB.

Literally any other player making 7 mill a year or more can be blamed for the reason we are one player away from a SB.

Yet it's all put on Bell?

That's some Black Sheep of the family excuse if I ever heard it.

For what it's worth I also think that paying WRs too much hurts your chances to win SBs. I think that the only "skill" position on O worth breaking the bank on is QB. Most other positions are more easily replaceable.

But, I also don't think the Bell (or Brown) are morally wrong to ask for what they would get paid on the open market. That's how the system is supposed to work. In Bell's case, he's twice been designated as the guy the team is going to pay below market value to. I get how that would piss someone off (despite the fact that he's making a ton of money). Especially when I think that RBs have a shorter window to land a big long term contract than WRs.

[feltdizz]

For what it's worth I also think that paying WRs too much hurts your chances to win SBs. I think that the only "skill" position on O worth breaking the bank on is QB. Most other positions are more easily replaceable.

But, I also don't think the Bell (or Brown) are morally wrong to ask for what they would get paid on the open market. That's how the system is supposed to work. In Bell's case, he's twice been designated as the guy the team is going to pay below market value to. I get how that would piss someone off (despite the fact that he's making a ton of money). Especially when I think that RBs have a shorter window to land a big long term contract than WRs.

Exactly how I feel.

I would even go as far as saying there is a point where QB's salary's can also set you back.

Look at Detroit, Seattle and Baltimore.

That being said, I get it.. we have to spend the money somewhere and IMO it's always a good idea to spend the most on the best players on your team.

I just think some folks are going overboard to blame Bell for hurting our chances to make a SB. It's not like we are cutting great players on D to make room for his contract.

[Eich]

Exactly how I feel.

I would even go as far as saying there is a point where QB's salary's can also set you back.

Look at Detroit, Seattle and Baltimore.

That being said, I get it.. we have to spend the money somewhere and IMO it's always a good idea to spend the most on the best players on your team.

I just think some folks are going overboard to blame Bell for hurting our chances to make a SB. It's not like we are cutting great players on D to make room for his contract.

Agree.

But again, Ben, AB and Tuit have all accepted reasonable contracts for their positions, no? Did any of them demand to significantly redefine the salary ceiling for their respective positions?

Also, I don't blame Bell for hurting our SB chances YET. To this point, we've been getting good value for him IMO. But if we were to pay him $17M/year for the next 3, I'm not so sure about it anymore.

[feltdizz]

Agree.

But again, Ben, AB and Tuit have all accepted reasonable contracts for their positions, no? Did any of them demand to significantly redefine the salary ceiling for their respective positions?

Also, I don't blame Bell for hurting our SB chances YET. To this point, we've been getting good value for him IMO. But if we were to pay him $17M/year for the next 3, I'm not so sure about it anymore.

I hear you but I think the RB position has been stagnant due to the talent level before this last crop of RB's.

I definitely think Zeke and Gurley are going to get big money.

The RB in SF just got 7 mill and he hasn't rushed for more than 600 yards in a season. Imagine if we paid 7 mill per season to a RB with those stats? Yeesh..

[Northern_Blitz]

I hear you but I think the RB position has been stagnant due to the talent level before this last crop of RB's.

I definitely think Zeke and Gurley are going to get big money.

The RB in SF just got 7 mill and he hasn't rushed for more than 600 yards in a season. Imagine if we paid 7 mill per season to a RB with those stats? Yeesh..

I agree that talent level is a part of it. But, I also think that the lower talent level drove teams to try platooning...and they found out that having two good backs was just as good (or better) than having one great back.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

Exactly how I feel.

I would even go as far as saying there is a point where QB's salary's can also set you back.

Look at Detroit, Seattle and Baltimore.

That being said, I get it.. we have to spend the money somewhere and IMO it's always a good idea to spend the most on the best players on your team.

I just think some folks are going overboard to blame Bell for hurting our chances to make a SB. It's not like we are cutting great players on D to make room for his contract.

If we paid him less, I wonder if the chances would have been greater that we could have gotten one of those good FA LBs that are out of our reach now.

[feltdizz]

If we paid him less, I wonder if the chances would have been greater that we could have gotten one of those good FA LBs that are out of our reach now.

I think if we really wanted one of those FA LB's we would've made room for them.

[Slapstick]

I think if we really wanted one of those FA LB's we would've made room for them.

We probably would have had to overpay...and we’re already overpaying for Bell...

[feltdizz]

We probably would have had to overpay...and we’re already overpaying for Bell...

We rarely overpay for FA's. That isn't how we operate.

This is why I don't understand the FA talk. We rarely shop in FA for big money guys.

We draft and fine bargains in FA.