Pittsburgh we have a problem

[Legacy User]

If this is not made up WWE drama how is the OL going to want to psychologically block for him? Anyone remember anything like this on a Steeler team with split locker room?

Good thing thing this is not Boston or NY type of media.

[Legacy User]

Maybe they can do it oldschool. They block for him on Sunday and then "show their admiration" in the locker room after the game.

I'd like to hear what the legends have to say about all this nonsense. Lambert, Greene, Blount, Bleier, Franco, etc.

[stillthere]

Steelers had guys swinging chairs at each other in the locker room back with R. Huntley and J. Gildon I believe. So we have had a split locker room before. Faneca talking shit about Ben when Maddox got hurt. Shit happens. The O-line will block for whomever is in the game because that gets them extra paychecks in the playoffs. Also you cannot rant about team team team then leave some dude out to get drilled when he comes back to the "TEAM".

[Stallworth16]

I don’t see a split locker room at all. I see a very together locker room. Foster was absolutely right,

Foster: ”Here’s a guy who doesn’t give a damn, I guess we’ll deal with it as such. He’s making 7 times what I make and twice as much as Al (Villanueva), and we’re the guys who do it for him...tired of his antics.”

Pouncey: “Honestly it’s a little selfish. I’m kind of pissed right now. It sucks that he’s not here. We'll move on as a team. It doesn't look like he'll be in the game plan at this point. Conner looks great.”

The guys on the team are not divided. Bell hasn’t signed and is not a member of the team. So the team is together. If Bell becomes a member of the team, it’s on him to fit in. Guys will block for anyone because they are professionals who are graded on every play. But Bell might never come back, which is just fine at this point.

[Ice]

Completely agree. I don't see a split locker room. I see some large, pissed off men who are going to block their asses off to "make James Conner a star" this season.

[alancac98]

Completely agree. I don't see a split locker room. I see some large, pissed off men who are going to block their asses off to "make James Conner a star" this season.

I was just going to say the same thing. The oline is gonna ball with Connor in the lineup to show Bell the team doesn't need him!

[Jobu]

It’s likely that most, if not all of the team are pissed...

[Kodiak]

I was just going to say the same thing. The oline is gonna ball with Connor in the lineup to show Bell the team doesn't need him!

Yeah, my thought is they will play their ass off for Conner. But can they sustain that all year?

I think Conner is majorly improved, and if Ridley and Samuels can contribute we may not miss that much.

[SOCALSTEEL]

The O-Line is going to come out on fire on Sunday.
They want to send a big F U to rappin Lev.
No better way to do that then helping Connor go off.

[Ice]

Almost amusingly ironic that all of the issues in our house could very likely end up with negative results for Cleveland. Can't win for losing.

[Stallworth16]

It’s not all on Conner. Ridley is healthy now and looks to play a DeAngelo vet role, and the 3rd down back. I’m bullish on Samuels too. I watched him closely, and he knows how to make guys miss, and how to use his blockers.

[Scunge]

It is funny, but I think Bell saw how the Raiders traded Mack to the Bears, how the Raiders got draft picks, how the Bears got Mack the money he was seeking and Bell probably thinks hey, if I sit out I can force this to happen for me to!!!

Of course his circumstances are different, he waited too long, did not play along in good faith, if he had signed his tender like say before the damn draft, maybe he could have been traded.

I think him and his agent are completely stupid.

My point all along about Bell is that he is a declining player and that if you fed any decent RB with some talent the football, gave him the carries and catches that Bell gets, they would produce too.

DeAngelo Willaims was leading the NFL in rushing the first two games of the season in place of Bell just a couple years ago, funny how people just forget about that.

And if Bell holds out and misses 10 games? Great! That means we will have gotten back $8.55 million that has been in purgatory, that can be rolled over to next year. And it also means that with only 6 games to play in that Bell will enter free agency with a stain on his resume, with paltry stats that will negatively affect his next contract.

And wasn't the whole point of drafting James Conner and Jaylin Samuels is that the Steelers WERE going to use them to lessen the load on Bell? Don't understand Bell and his agent thinking that they were going to run the wheels off of Bell. First, that is what Bell wants anyway, he always says how he wants the ball, how he wants to touch the ball 500 times in a season. After all, when you have no speed, no explosion, you have to have an excessive number of touches to make up for it to get the yardage, to make it seem like you are this once-in-a-generation talent.

If I am the Steelers, I make James Conner the starter for the whole damn season even if Bell signs the tag tomorrow. Yeah, I still play Bell, but he will be Conner's backup and yeah, I will play him but he will be the player that comes off the bench to give Conner a rest, that comes on as a 3rd down back, hell I put Bell back to return kickoffs too.

[Thrillsseeker]

Almost amusingly ironic that all of the issues in our house could very likely end up with negative results for Cleveland. Can't win for losing.

LoL. True and hilarious.

This could certainly unite the team.

[Steelafan77]

I don't blame the Raiders for discarding Mack. Dude still had 2 years on his contract and was crying like a baby...The only thing these guys have in common is their selfishness and lack of respect. The Raiders didn't have the money. Had Mack played another year on his original contract like most players do Perhaps the Raiders had been able to make Mack a better offer. This fits the self entitled 'Merica' of late. That said, Bell ruined any legacy he might have generated while playing for Pittsburgh. Fans have grown to despise him and his childish tactics. Now that the younger NFL players have watched this shit unfold they will attempt to implement these same tactics. The NFL could be in trouble.

[Flanker]

Can you imagine the awkwardness when/if Bell walks into the locker room? In the course of 3 years he went from one of my favorite players on the team to the biggest dbag on the team... And not necessarily related to consecutive holdouts but also his behavior on social media. I'm not sure I've ever seen a once humble player let success go to his head this quickly.

[steelmann58]

Yes the Bell BS has brought this team together as i don't see one guy saying the support Bell. HERE to a healthy Conner

[Steelafan77]

A late transaction before week 1

09/05
Signed RB Trey Edmunds to the practice squad; released RB Jarvion Franklin from the practice squad. https://www.steelers.com/team/transactions/

For those interested...http://www.draftscout.com/ratings/dspro ... &genpos=rb AND http://www.draftcountdown.com/player/trey-edmunds/

[Flanker]

I'm fine with Conner... he hits the hole quick and hard which is a nice change from Bell. I gotta assume it's easier for the oline to not hold a block for so long while not knowing where the RB is going.

[steelmann58]

I be more curious what the steelers will do with Bell money next year?

[Steeldrama]

If I am the Steelers, I make James Conner the starter for the whole damn season even if Bell signs the tag tomorrow. Yeah, I still play Bell, but he will be Conner's backup and yeah, I will play him but he will be the player that comes off the bench to give Conner a rest, that comes on as a 3rd down back, hell I put Bell back to return kickoffs too.

First off, you're assuming James Conner can make it though the "whole damn season."
I love the kid's story but he's not a durable player and his running style opens him up to a lot of big hits.

Sure we're all pissed Bell didn't show up today, but to say when he does ultimately return he's going to remain behind Conner and return kicks is just anger talking not common sense.

[Louis Lipps Service]

I'd love to see Conner break out and become a bonafide starter while Bell sits out, only to see Bell come back and ride the bench the rest of the season.

I'd love to see how much he's worth when he's effectively sat out a season.

[USS Steelerworks]

I honestly don’t have an issue with Bell sitting out until week 10 and can see his rationale. Guy is a free agent at the end of the season and Tonkin has a history of running the wheels off his starting running back. My issue is the guy hasn’t been honest with the front office, his teammates or the fans. Every indication he gave was he would be back for the start of the season ready to go and ready to have his best statistical year in his own words. Now that appears to be complete bullshit. Why mislead the team in such a way that does nothing but cause drama and completely fuck with the team’s preparation for the season and become a distraction every week?

[Legacy User]

Let’s also not forget tomlin has a long, proud track record of running the wheels off rb. In fact he coined the term the year he did it to willie Parker who broke his leg in week 15 of the same season, effectively his last.

I don’t see why bell will ever return if you follow his logic through. It’s more a question now of what does this offense do. Next man up is a recipe for .500 ball. They need to rethink it. It fitchner the right guy? We’re gonna find out sooner than later.

[Louis Lipps Service]

I honestly don’t have an issue with Bell sitting out until week 10 and can see his rationale. Guy is a free agent at the end of the season and Tonkin has a history of running the wheels off his starting running back. My issue is the guy hasn’t been honest with the front office, his teammates or the fans. Every indication he gave was he would be back for the start of the season ready to go and ready to have his best statistical year in his own words. Now that appears to be complete bullshit. Why mislead the team in such a way that does nothing but cause drama and completely fuck with the team’s preparation for the season and become a distraction every week?

I'd agree with you if he hadn't already turned down an offer that was already more than fair. He could have already had a deal in place that would have secured him for life and been competing right there along with his teammates.

Instead, he's taking a gigantic risk on his own career (which I strongly believe he's going to lose), and dragging his team through a ton of unnecessary drama along with it all because he wanted to milk a couple more guaranteed dollars from the deal.

He had what he wanted sitting on the table. He turned it down because of his ego (or bad agent, or combo of the two).

I think his teammates see it the same way I do, and they're in the same business with the same risks. That tells me all I need to know.

[steelmann58]

so i guess all potential to be Free agents should sit down for all 10 games

[Minkah'n History]

I honestly don’t have an issue with Bell sitting out until week 10 and can see his rationale. Guy is a free agent at the end of the season and Tonkin has a history of running the wheels off his starting running back. My issue is the guy hasn’t been honest with the front office, his teammates or the fans. Every indication he gave was he would be back for the start of the season ready to go and ready to have his best statistical year in his own words. Now that appears to be complete bullshit. Why mislead the team in such a way that does nothing but cause drama and completely fuck with the team’s preparation for the season and become a distraction every week?

Yeah, I think his agent reiterated it yesterday too that “he’s planning on having his best statistical year ever”. How the hell is this now possible?

[RemoAZ]

Sitting out the maximum number of games is probably the only way he'll be 100% throughout the playoffs anyway.

[cop1211]

I wish they could trade his ass.

[Gonzo]

I told you this would happen
Job one for bell is to get to his next contract in one piece. Nothing from him as shown he really cares about legacy ... just the next contract. IMO right now he is pushing the steelers for some kind of gentlemens agreement they will allow him to play while taking serious steps to not get injured. Such as less physical practice and lower usage.

I would love Connor to perform but do t think he is up to the job long term. He is not Deangelo Williams. But perhaps this will make them rely on the passing game and Ben heavily which IMHO is a good thing.

[Legacy User]

I told you this would happen
Job one for bell is to get to his next contract in one piece. Nothing from him as shown he really cares about legacy ... just the next contract. IMO right now he is pushing the steelers for some kind of gentlemens agreement they will allow him to play while taking serious steps to not get injured. Such as less physical practice and lower usage.

I would love Connor to perform but do t think he is up to the job long term. He is not Deangelo Williams. But perhaps this will make them rely on the passing game and Ben heavily which IMHO is a good thing.

Failed logic. It only takes one snap to get injured. If you are playing with the thought of not getting hurt, you're gonna get hurt. And you can't tell me there aren't defensive angels out there who aren't going to give him a "little extra" with the hopes of looking down at him and saying, "so much for next year's contract, bitch."

What I don't hear anyone saying is that if he sits the entire year, he's a year older. Just because you don't put your body through the wear and tear of a season doesn't mean you're better at the end of it, or even as good. Maybe that holds some water if you're a lineman, but not a RB known for speed and agility.

He's simply not the commodity next year that he is this year.

And just me being angry with him, I'd love to see him sit the entire year and get hurt playing basketball on Sunday afternoon, week 11.