ok, now when does bell, show up?

[Northern_Blitz]

There's got to be a logical reason why they are considering do this. And it must have something to do with getting some type of compensation.

I don't think they are considering doing this.

I think it's a story that Bell or Bell's agent told the press (at least the first time I heard it, the wording was something like "Bell's agent says that the Steelers were threatening to transition tag him next season").

The only reason I can see this making any sense is if they signed him and then traded him.

[Northern_Blitz]

its purely compensation. They should refuse to let him walk for nothing. And the transition tag wont be tying up cap space in the traditional sense because they will be able to roll over what they saved on him holding out this year which should almost cover transition tag in its entirety

I think tagging him almost ensures he walks for nothing.

And it does tie up cap space because we can use that extra space to make the team better instead of tagging Bell.

[Northern_Blitz]

True. Franchise is avg of top 5, Transition is avg of top 10. Him giving up so many games is making this easy,

Plus, frankly, I'd do it just cuz, "you wanna play games? OK... lemme show you how to play games..." It's petty, but, I'd do it.

I agree that spite seems to be the main justification to doing this.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

I agree that spite seems to be the main justification to doing this.

well, he's been announcing his comeback every other week all season.

Thing is, i think he hurt his own value because Conner is basically getting the same numbers. You'd have to question whether it was anything other than "running behind a good line" and that alone will lower his value on the market.

Coming into this, he was going to be the highest paid back. Coming out, i just don't see it. He may get less that the Steelers offered.

[K Train]

True. Franchise is avg of top 5, Transition is avg of top 10. Him giving up so many games is making this easy,

Plus, frankly, I'd do it just cuz, "you wanna play games? OK... lemme show you how to play games..." It's petty, but, I'd do it.

Oh petty is the name of the game now...it was the dumbest game of chicken that could have possibly been played but here we are

[K Train]

I think tagging him almost ensures he walks for nothing.

And it does tie up cap space because we can use that extra space to make the team better instead of tagging Bell.

i said in the traditional sense...i know its actually tying up cap space but its not tying up cap that we would normally be restricted to due to the roll over

[Northern_Blitz]

well, he's been announcing his comeback every other week all season.

Thing is, i think he hurt his own value because Conner is basically getting the same numbers. You'd have to question whether it was anything other than "running behind a good line" and that alone will lower his value on the market.

Coming into this, he was going to be the highest paid back. Coming out, i just don't see it. He may get less that the Steelers offered.

I think you're right. And he didn't need to get as much as the Steelers offered to end up ahead because he was supposed to earn almost $15m this year.

I think not showing up will end up hurting him. But he's already set for life so I won't lose any sleep over it

[RuthlessBurgher]

Le’Veon Bell leaves Miami; next stop, Pittsburgh?

Posted by Mike Florio on November 5, 2018, 3:54 PM EST

Le'Veon Bell is on the move.

Though it’s unclear where he’s going, a Monday afternoon tweet makes it clear he’s leaving Miami. Maybe, just maybe, he’s finally returning to Pittsburgh.

Le’Veon Bell has eight days to sign his franchise tender. Otherwise, he won’t be able to play for the Steelers, or anyone else, in 2018.

Due to earn $855,000 per game, the Steelers have the right to place Bell on roster-exempt status for two weeks — and in turn to pay him less than his franchise tender. Per the labor deal, the Steelers and Bell are required to agree in writing as to the salary he’ll receive on roster-exempt status.

This week, with the Steelers playing on Thursday night against the Panthers, the team surely won’t be inclined to pay him $855,000 in return for nothing. Which means that if Bell (who already may know that the Steelers intend to pay him much less than $855,000 per week for the first two weeks) is returning to Pittsburgh, he knows the terms that the team is offering — and he’s prepared to accept them.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/11/05/leveon-bell-leaves-miami-next-stop-pittsburgh/

[pittpete]

Bell just showed up!

[RuthlessBurgher]

Report: Steelers don’t expect to see Le’Veon Bell this week

Posted by Mike Florio on November 6, 2018, 6:34 AM EST

On Monday, running back Le'Veon Bell said goodbye to Miami. He reportedly won’t be saying hello to Pittsburgh this week.

Via Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, the Steelers do not expect the holdout tailback to report before Thursday night’s game against the Panthers.

If Bell doesn’t show up by next Tuesday, he can’t play at all in 2018. Which would create a different set of rights and responsibilities for 2019, as to both the Steelers and Bell.

There’s a growing belief Bell won’t show up at all in 2018. If that happens, the Steelers would be able to re-tag him again in 2019, at the same $14.54 million franchise tender that was applied in 2018. (If he shows up by next Tuesday, the Steelers would have to offer the quarterback franchise tender in order to tag him for a third time.)

The latest story from ESPN includes an odd quote from an unnamed source regarding the question of whether Bell will show up at all.

“If he doesn’t want to play for $14.5 million, why would he want to play for $5 million?” the unnamed source told ESPN, in reference to the money Bell would make if he shows up by next Tuesday. (Under his current tender, he’d make $5.985 million, subject to two weeks of reduced pay while on roster-exempt status.)

Here’s why he would want to play for up to $5.985 million: If Bell doesn’t show at all, it will be easier for the Steelers to keep him from an unfettered windfall on the first day of free agency.

Apparently, there’s been a misconception at ESPN regarding the details of Bell’s status, as evidenced by a final paragraph to the current story, which declares that “Bell does not have to report to the Steelers by a certain date to get an accrued season to become eligible for free agency, contrary to what ESPN and others previously reported.”

Hey, ESPN, don’t lump the rest of us in with your mistake. Of course Bell doesn’t need an accrued season to be eligible for free agency. Still, his opportunity to become an unrestricted free agent in 2019 hinges on fulfilling the minimum requirements of the second year of the franchise tag (i.e., by showing up before next Tuesday), forcing the Steelers to offer upwards of $25 million, if they choose to apply the franchise tag a third time in 2019. (The Steelers can still apply the transition tag in 2019, but we’ve already pointed out that this is an essentially meaningless option.)

So that’s where it stands. Bell can show up by Tuesday and force the Steelers to let him hit the market on day one of free agency (subject to the ultimately meaningless transition tag) or not show up by Tuesday and risk having the Steelers apply the franchise tag again next year, at $14.54 million.

Some think the Steelers would do just that, as a precursor to trading Bell to a new team — and guiding him away from a team like the Ravens.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/11/06/report-steelers-dont-expect-to-see-leveon-bell-this-week/

[pittpete]

Bell is not playing football this year.
He forfeited $8 million already.
Why would he come back for $6 million.

[Northern_Blitz]

i said in the traditional sense...i know its actually tying up cap space but its not tying up cap that we would normally be restricted to due to the roll over

Can you explain what you mean here? I don't understand the difference.

Thanks.

[pittpete]

Steelers roll over unused cap space to next year.
Doesnt count vs. the NFL hard cap for each team i believe

[RuthlessBurgher]

If Le’Veon Bell doesn’t show, a re-tag by the Steelers could spark a CBA fight

Posted by Mike Florio on November 6, 2018, 1:33 PM EST

Let’s assume that running back Le'Veon Bell doesn’t report to the Steelers and sign his franchise tender by next Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET. If/when that happens, the battle lines could be drawn for a CBA fight regarding the terms of a franchise tag that would be applied to Bell in 2019.

Here’s the basic question, as it possibly could unfold between the Steelers (and the NFL’s Management Council) and Bell (and the NFL Players Association): If Bell doesn’t play this year, would a franchise tag in 2019 carry the same value as the franchise tag in 2018, or would it count as a third franchise tag, qualifying Bell for the quarterback tender?

The relevant language comes from Article 10, Section 15(a) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement: “If any Franchise Player does not play in the NFL in a League Year, his Prior Team shall have the right to designate such player as a Franchise Player or a Transition Player the following League Year, if such designation is otherwise available to the Team, except that the applicable Tender must be made and any 120% Tender shall be measured from the Player’s Prior Year Salary.”

Some believe based on this language that the league would argue that, because Bell didn’t play under the second tag, the second tag would carry over to the next year. Some believe the NFLPA would argue that the plain language of the provision contains no such limitation and that a re-tag of Bell in 2019 would count as a third tag, qualifying him for the quarterback tender — regardless of whether he skips the entire 2018 season.

The difference between the two positions translates to a gap of more than $10 million between the potential tender amounts, with the 2018 tag at $14.54 million and the quarterback tender potentially in the range of $25 million (the quarterback tender was $23.189 million in 201. Which would make the Steelers far less likely to use the franchise tag on Bell again in 2019, if it’s the higher amount.

If it’s the lower amount, the Steelers could re-tag Bell and then trade him. But if he doesn’t play in 2018, Section 15(a) also limits the team’s ability to use the exclusive version of the franchise tag, allowing a team to sign him to an offer sheet in return for a first-round and third-round draft pick. This would limit the maximum compensation the Steelers could get for Bell, which could in turn reduce his trade value.

And if the Steelers are able to trade Bell, the thinking is that he’d receive a lower financial package than he would receive if he could be signed without his new team giving up draft pick(s) or player(s) compensation. If the quarterback tender applies and, as a practical matter, Bell can’t be franchise tagged (and thus can’t be traded), Bell would hit the open market and get more than anyone would reasonably expect.

Case in point: Receiver Sammy Watkins hit the open market, and he received a contract that is in many respects better than the deal Odell Beckham Jr. signed to stay with the Giants. That’s the way to get paid huge money — land on the market on the first day of free agency, and sign with a team that can get the player without any compensation beyond the player’s contract.

The manner in which the Article 10, Section 15(a) is interpreted and applied will go a long way toward determining which franchise tender applies to Bell, if he doesn’t show up by next Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/11/06/if-leveon-bell-doesnt-show-a-re-tag-by-the-steelers-could-spark-a-cba-fight/

[RuthlessBurgher]

A no-show by Le’Veon Bell would make his 2019 transition tag significantly higher

Posted by Mike Florio on November 6, 2018, 2:45 PM EST

The CBA provision that potentially prevents the Steelers from re-tagging running back Le'Veon Bell at $14.54 million if he fails to show up in 2018 carries a more clear limitation regarding the transition tag for 2019.

Article 10, Section 15(a) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement provides as follows: “If any Franchise Player does not play in the NFL in a League Year, his Prior Team shall have the right to designate such player as a Franchise Player or a Transition Player the following League Year, if such designation is otherwise available to the Team, except that the applicable Tender must be made and any 120% Tender shall be measured from the Player’s Prior Year Salary.” (Emphasis added.)

In other words, if Bell doesn’t report in 2018 (and thus makes zero dollars and zero cents), the application of the transition tender would guarantee a 20-percent raise over Bell’s 2017 salary. That’s $14.54 million, the amount of Bell’s franchise tender in 2018.

In contrast, if Bell reports by next Tuesday, his transition tender for 2019 (due to his diminished earnings for 201 would be in the range of $9 million to $10 million, the expected standard amount for the running back transition tender. So it would become significantly more expensive for the Steelers to apply the transition tender to Bell in 2019, if he doesn’t show up in 2018.

Ultimately, the transition tag is irrelevant, because the Steelers wouldn’t match any offer sheet that Bell would sign with another team. But the mere application of the transition tag by the Steelers would consume significantly more cap space if he doesn’t show up in 2018 than it would if he does. Which makes it even less likely that the transition tag will be in play, if Bell doesn’t show up by next Tuesday.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/11/06/a-no-show-by-leveon-bell-would-make-his-2019-transition-tag-significantly-higher/