Who cares about Bell?

[Stallworth16]

Watching James Conner pre-season highlight reel. And compared to last year, I would say Conner is a little bit of all these things: quicker, lighter, stronger, better at breaking tackles, and overall. Which is all good, because last year I was not impressed by him, on the field. But I have great admiration for his coming back from cancer. Is Conner almost as good as Bell? I’m gonna say no, for now. However, Conner is prepared, reliable, present, and willing. Bell is none of those things.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojFI-VvG2tk[/youtube]

And a reminder of how great Conner looked at Pitt.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byxgC3Hmlfk[/youtube]

[AirRescueFF]

2014 Conner for me, please.

[Legacy User]

Let's keep JC upright for the entire season and he'll be just fine. And we'll be just fine. He's more than capable of giving us 1200 yards if healthy. Remember, it's more about the line than the back anyway.

[bradshaw2ben]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfQZRZrs3Eg[/youtube]
I'm saying it loud and proud: if you give Jaylen Samuels the same opportunities as Conner... playing with the 1s, touches, etc... he makes more out of it. Vision is way better than Conner's, subtlety in pass game, cuts and make you miss in the open field. He's really a terrific one-cut guy, whereas Conner is more
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jwgf3wmiA04[/youtube]

[Stallworth16]

B2B, I also liked what I saw from Samuels in the preseason. He has good rhythm, power, first cut, use the blocker. I also like Ridley when he’s healthy. I’m assuming Ridley is the 3rd down back. I wasn’t too high on Conner last year but this year he looks better, if not quite as explosive as he looked at Pitt, getting closer. (Watch that Pitt vid I posted above) I don’t think Samuels gets touches unless Conner or Ridley gets hurt, and that is because he’s a rookie and I know how it goes. They’ve made Conner the 1.

[Legacy User]

B2B, I also liked what I saw from Samuels in the preseason. He has good rhythm, power, first cut, use the blocker. I also like Ridley when he’s healthy. I’m assuming Ridley is the 3rd down back. I wasn’t too high on Conner last year but this year he looks better, if not quite as explosive as he looked at Pitt, getting closer. (Watch that Pitt vid I posted above) I don’t think Samuels gets touches unless Conner or Ridley gets hurt, and that is because he’s a rookie and I know how it goes. They’ve made Conner the 1.

love Conner. at Pitt before cancer he was a beast. he runs so hard tho I worry about him staying on the field. but he has heart and grit. im so sick of leveon.

[Legacy User]

B2B, I also liked what I saw from Samuels in the preseason. He has good rhythm, power, first cut, use the blocker. I also like Ridley when he’s healthy. I’m assuming Ridley is the 3rd down back. I wasn’t too high on Conner last year but this year he looks better, if not quite as explosive as he looked at Pitt, getting closer. (Watch that Pitt vid I posted above) I don’t think Samuels gets touches unless Conner or Ridley gets hurt, and that is because he’s a rookie and I know how it goes. They’ve made Conner the 1.

love Conner. at Pitt before cancer he was a beast. he runs so hard tho I worry about him staying on the field. but he has heart and grit. im so sick of leveon.

Who's leveon?

[Havoc]

I'm going on record again. I said this during the off season. I'm saying it again.

This offense is going to keep rolling without Bell sans a dumpster fire at RB.

[alancac98]

Been watching videos of all the ex nfl players weighing in about the Bell situation. Most don't think the contract offer was fair to Bell. Considering the highest paid RB at the time was making only nearly 9 million per year, I would say that the contract offer was fucking huge and awesome for Bell. Gurley's contract blew up the market, but I see Gurley as a much better RB than Bell. Couple guys mentioned that Bell considers himself a RB and a WR and I asked myself: when did the RB position become strictly running the ball. AS long as I can remember (dating back to the early 70's), RBs also caught passes out of the backfield. So, Bell wants to reestablish the core responsibilities of a RB. He basically only wants to run the ball, period. If he has to go out for a pass, he should be paid extra for that kind of thing (basically two contracts - one for RB and one for WR). Quite interesting! I cannot wait to see if another team gives Bell the 20+ milllion he feels he deserves (by now considering the Mack and Donald deals, it is probably near 30 million per year with every penny guaranteed).

But hey, Bell should try and maximize his earnings as should all players. Most of them don't have a college education to fall back on and most are probably not smart enough to pass courses on their own in the first place. Their athletic ability is all they really have. Once their football career is over, they will be a nobody with no real skillset in the workforce, so this money is supposed to set them up for life. However, since most players don't have the brainpower to understand that money doesn't last forever unless you spend wisely and invest, their thinking is flawed because they typically burn through it within 5 years of leaving the league. Football players need to be more honest with their situation in life. They exchange their future for a few good years playing in the NFL. (Good money for playing a game, only to earning a whole lot less when their career is over) That nice house becomes a trailer!

[Legacy User]

I'm going on record again. I said this during the off season. I'm saying it again.

This offense is going to keep rolling without Bell sans a dumpster fire at RB.

Bingo!

[Legacy User]

Been watching videos of all the ex nfl players weighing in about the Bell situation. Most don't think the contract offer was fair to Bell. Considering the highest paid RB at the time was making only nearly 9 million per year, I would say that the contract offer was fucking huge and awesome for Bell. Gurley's contract blew up the market, but I see Gurley as a much better RB than Bell. Couple guys mentioned that Bell considers himself a RB and a WR and I asked myself: when did the RB position become strictly running the ball. AS long as I can remember (dating back to the early 70's), RBs also caught passes out of the backfield. So, Bell wants to reestablish the core responsibilities of a RB. He basically only wants to run the ball, period. If he has to go out for a pass, he should be paid extra for that kind of thing (basically two contracts - one for RB and one for WR). Quite interesting! I cannot wait to see if another team gives Bell the 20+ milllion he feels he deserves (by now considering the Mack and Donald deals, it is probably near 30 million per year with every penny guaranteed).

But hey, Bell should try and maximize his earnings as should all players. Most of them don't have a college education to fall back on and most are probably not smart enough to pass courses on their own in the first place. Their athletic ability is all they really have. Once their football career is over, they will be a nobody with no real skillset in the workforce, so this money is supposed to set them up for life. However, since most players don't have the brainpower to understand that money doesn't last forever unless you spend wisely and invest, their thinking is flawed because they typically burn through it within 5 years of leaving the league. Football players need to be more honest with their situation in life. They exchange their future for a few good years playing in the NFL. (Good money for playing a game, only to earning a whole lot less when their career is over) That nice house becomes a trailer!

And I just don't get it. Gurley and Bell, Zeke and Bell, etc. Apples and Oranges.

Bell has a history of injuries and a suspension. He is also difficult to block for. The other premier backs don't have his baggage. And he wants dramatically MORE than what they're being paid.

The Steelers' offer might not have been what he wanted, but it was fair.

[Stallworth16]

I agree it was fair. I listened to the entire interview of his agent, which was interesting. I think Bakari and Bell really think they are on the right course. But all along the process, they have over-estimated Bell’s value in today’s NFL.

It’s a complete contrast to AB, Ben, Villy, Vince, Foster, Haden, Tuitt, Heyward, DeCastro, Gilbert, and others who came to the negotiation with the idea that they Want to be in Pittsburgh. They Want to contribute to the Team, and they believe in the organization. Bell and his agent never had that approach.

[Scunge]

I so wish that they had an ordinary Joe, your typical football fan on set when these ex-players talk about Bell.

When they talk about Gurley and how his contract reset the market, how the Steelers don't want to give the $45 million in guaranteed money, if it were me on set I could call bullshit on that.

Gurley's contract is nothing but 'soft' guarantees that are paid out to him year after year after year by the 3rd day of the league year to be precise.

He could get injured tomorrow and never play again and he only has $21.95 million in his pocket.

If he never played again, if the Rams cut him then he wouldn't get the $5 million 'guaranteed money' coming to him in March of 2019.

Each year is like that, he has 'guaranteed money' that is doled out to him if he is still on the roster on the 3rd day of the league year.

The contract that the Steelers offered Bell was fair and probably not that much different from Gurley. It is amazing to me how people are trying to use Gurley and his bogus, misleading 'guaranteed money' to paint Steeler management as cheap bastards.

The Steelers do, by the way, guarantee money in terms of the base salaries, but they do it by way of restructuring contracts.

Cam Heyward this past week had $8 million of his $9 million base salary converted to a bonus, he got that money immediately. Is that not guaranteeing money? Don't the Steelers do that with their core players every single season?

Alejandro Villanueva was to have a base salary of $6 million this season, the Steelers restructured or 'guaranteed' $5.295 million of that $6 million, paid it out to him in the form of a bonus.

I am real confused as to what Bell wants, him and his agent can't even point to Gurley because the rolling, soft guarantees are what the Steelers were probably offering.

[Kodiak]

Let's say Bell wants $17M a year for 400 touches.....that would be $42,500 per touch!!! Then working backwards, $14.5M equals 341 touches, or just over 13.5 games.

Bell probably thinks the tag "only" pays him 85% of what he's worth, so he's only going to give you 85% of the games.

[Legacy User]

I so wish that they had an ordinary Joe, your typical football fan on set when these ex-players talk about Bell.

When they talk about Gurley and how his contract reset the market, how the Steelers don't want to give the $45 million in guaranteed money, if it were me on set I could call bullshit on that.

Gurley's contract is nothing but 'soft' guarantees that are paid out to him year after year after year by the 3rd day of the league year to be precise.

He could get injured tomorrow and never play again and he only has $21.95 million in his pocket.

If he never played again, if the Rams cut him then he wouldn't get the $5 million 'guaranteed money' coming to him in March of 2019.

Each year is like that, he has 'guaranteed money' that is doled out to him if he is still on the roster on the 3rd day of the league year.

The contract that the Steelers offered Bell was fair and probably not that much different from Gurley. It is amazing to me how people are trying to use Gurley and his bogus, misleading 'guaranteed money' to paint Steeler management as cheap bastards.

The Steelers do, by the way, guarantee money in terms of the base salaries, but they do it by way of restructuring contracts.

Cam Heyward this past week had $8 million of his $9 million base salary converted to a bonus, he got that money immediately. Is that not guaranteeing money? Don't the Steelers do that with their core players every single season?

Alejandro Villanueva was to have a base salary of $6 million this season, the Steelers restructured or 'guaranteed' $5.295 million of that $6 million, paid it out to him in the form of a bonus.

I am real confused as to what Bell wants, him and his agent can't even point to Gurley because the rolling, soft guarantees are what the Steelers were probably offering.

There is too much good analysis and common sense observation in this post that I object. As does Bell!

[steelmann58]

I am done with Bell totally time to move on and ride Connor and Ridley think the Offense will be fine IMO

[Legacy User]

I am done with Bell totally time to move on and ride Connor and Ridley think the Offense will be fine IMO

I can't see any reason for him showing up before week 10 now. No way should he see the playing field this season. Barring injury, putting him in the lineup will only disrupt the offense. And what kind of message does it send to the rest of the team? Not a good one.

[Kodiak]

I can't see any reason for him showing up before week 10 now.

I wouldn't go that far.....but there's really no reason to hold out for "just one week". I think it's a safe bet he won't report for several weeks. And then it becomes a question of how PIT handles the exemption [agree with most that he'll sit two weeks].

I'll stick with my prediction that he misses 4-6 games....and more likely 6 games.

[Legacy User]

I can't see any reason for him showing up before week 10 now.

I wouldn't go that far.....but there's really no reason to hold out for "just one week". I think it's a safe bet he won't report for several weeks. And then it becomes a question of how PIT handles the exemption [agree with most that he'll sit two weeks].

I'll stick with my prediction that he misses 4-6 games....and more likely 6 games.

First, sorry for being an ass before. It was uncalled for.

So why, from Bell's perspective, do you think he'll show up at all before week 10? Other than money he has no incentive.

He doesn't care about the team.
He doesn't care about his teammates.
He doesn't care about his legacy.
He doesn't care about the fans.
He doesn't care about stats.

He, and his agent, have pretty much said that he's not going to let Tomlin over use him.

He is already looking toward next year. So every/any carry this season is one more potential injury and more wear and tear.

It seems pretty straight forward.