The Steelers and Le’Veon Bell have yet again started talks on a long-term contract deal in hopes of having everything squared away by July 16th. Details regarding the contract have been tried to be settled before, but it seems as if Bell, and the Steelers, aren’t budging. But if there’s one thing for certain, Bell is a unique piece of this offense, a piece that I don’t believe either party is ready to give up.
July 16th is the date to beat. Both parties have till then to come into agreements, otherwise, Bell will play under the franchise tender ($14.5 million) and will hit free agency next offseason. As many following the situation know if this happens Bell has threatened retirement and leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Many fans, analysts, coaches, and players have had their fair share of criticism to say about his contract situation. But just recently did former Super Bowl Champion and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Jerome Bettis, chime in regarding the ‘disagreement.’
After speaking on TMZ Sports, Bettis told both sides, that they need each other. “Neither one of you are as good by yourself as you are together,” Bettis explained. “The Steelers are not as good as a team if you don’t have Le’Veon Bell there as a dual threat. He can run the football, catch out the backfield, you can line him up as a receiver. He’s the ultimate mismatch.”
Bettis went on to say, "Le'Veon, you're not going to be as good going somewhere else because they're not going to have the offensive line, they're not going to have the quarterback, the receivers that they have in Pittsburgh. You have a full complement around you that allows you to be as great as you want to be."
While this may be true, and probably is, it’s frustrating when Bell misses his offseason workouts with the team. Not just one or two of them, but all of them. As this was expected to happen since we’ve seen this in previous years, Bell wants to prove a point that he deserves this money he is asking for so, go to the workouts and prove it.
Bettis ends off on a note to the Steelers saying he doesn’t, “think a four- or five-year contract is anything the Steelers need to worry about in terms of his age because he’s going to be able to produce into his early 30s.”
The next time we hear any real ‘new’ news about his contract, it will probably be in regards to the finished product. By July 16th we’ll know more about the future of Le’Veon Bell with the Steelers.
