Bell

[Disco1981]

Is that ******** really gonna sit out until week 10

[Sugar]

Heck, I'm wondering how he comes back at all.

[Northern_Blitz]

Is that ******** really gonna sit out until week 10

At this point, I think the answer is yes.

I think if he's doing it to minimize injury risk, it doesn't make any sense to come back earlier

[Buzz]

Heck, I'm wondering how he comes back at all.

Yeah, after he returns, it will take him 3-4 weeks to get into game shape. By then, the season will be nearly over.

[feltdizz]

I knew he was patient but I didn’t think he was THIS patient.

[Slapstick]

Patient? Nah...

Stubborn? Selfish? Sure...

[squidkid]

i hope so unless they can work out a deal for a trade.
this situation is trying for a team but the way bell treated his team mates, the situation is not fixable.

[SteelBucks]

Heck, I'm wondering how he comes back at all.

Agreed. Could you imagine his first game back at Heinz?

[pittpete]

I knew he was stupid but I didn’t think he was THIS stupid.

[K Train]

steelers still the betting favorite to get him in 2019 lol

[AzStillers1989]

I’d tag his ass again next year just to piss him off.

[brothervad]

I have questions around the topic of will he or won't he show up in week 10. Please tell me your thoughts on these if you could.

1) Would he forgo any risk to injury and make a statement by not signing his tender on week 10? Basically call the Steelers bluff. If he is afraid of injury isn't he more at risk getting injured by not being game ready? The weather, turf being the way it is?

2) If he did say no way to the tender at all, would the Steelers get to hold him at the year 2 franchise tender % (120% as opposed to 144%) for his salary? If yes, would you see the Steelers invoking the tag again? Would you consider this vindictive on the Steelers part or trying to salvage any value in the form of a trade? Do you think they would just part ways, cut him loose?

Do you think they would do this not to set a precedent that they will let you go if you stick by your guns ( I highly doubt this one but still would like to get your guys opinion on this)?

3) Let's say he continues to week 10 but does decide to sign, how do you think the front office will respond? Would there be any difference in A) They are in the hunt for a #1 seed and are experiencing a unified team chugging along with a All Pro James Connor season? B) They are in the hunt for a birth but are struggling in the running game? C) They are out of the playoff hunt (god forbid)?

4) The one opinion I would like from you guys is how will his week 10 holdout potentially impact the team? Does chemistry matter? Will they embrace him or will it cause disharmony in the locker room? More importantly how does Tomlin view this as it is his opinion that will matter most I think on this matter?

5) Do the Steelers try to work out some sort of sign and trade deal ( I know it's complicated) but could this be even a viable option at this point?

thanks in advance...

Brothervad

[K Train]

I’d tag his ass again next year just to piss him off.

You can almost guarantee he'll get hit with the transition tag at least

[D Rock]

Let him sit until week 10 if that's what he wants to do, and then pull the tag off him then. He will be a locker room cancer if he comes back, and you can't trust him to play hard if you know he is protecting his value. Pull his tag then, let him lose out on millions this year, and make him have to sign in a limited market late in the year if he wants to earn anything in 2018. If he chooses not to play - then he wasted a full year in his prime, another dumb decision on his part.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Let him sit until week 10 if that's what he wants to do, and then pull the tag off him then. He will be a locker room cancer if he comes back, and you can't trust him to play hard if you know he is protecting his value. Pull his tag then, let him lose out on millions this year, and make him have to sign in a limited market late in the year if he wants to earn anything in 2018. If he chooses not to play - then he wasted a full year in his prime, another dumb decision on his part.

Thinking logically as opposed to bitterly...

How exactly does pulling the tag after week 10 benefit our team at all?

1. You let him go free to sign with a competing team such as New England for the playoff run. Bad for us.

2. We also lose out on the 3rd round comp pick that we'd get if we lost him in free agency next offseason. Also bad for us.

On the other hand, if we don't pull the tag...

We could add an All Pro offensive weapon with fresh legs to our roster for the stretch run and the playoffs, and because of all of the game checks he'd forfeit along the way, his cap hit would be $6M instead of $14.5M, and we'd get to roll over that unutilized $8.5M onto next year's cap.

Colbert doesn't have to be a genius to figure out which scenario is better.