There are 10 days till the season opener and the Steelers yet again will take on the Browns week 1. That also means, there are 10 days for running back, Le’Veon Bell, to report back to the Steelers. Missing OTAs and training camp, Bell has kept the details of his arrival unknown after quickly stomping on rumors saying that he would sign his franchise tender on Monday.
Whether you agree or disagree with Bell not showing up with his team, a decision is approaching. It’s hard to come to terms that Bell could potentially miss out on weekly checks reaching $855,000. But, the whole reason Bell is doing this in the first place is to protect his future. Technically, to get credit for the season, Bell only needs to be active for 6 of the 16 games of the regular season.
Now looming in Bell’s ear is former Steelers linebacker, James Harrison. Harrison appeared on Speak For Yourself with Cowherd and Whitlock and expressed what he thought Bell should do. Harrison left Pittsburgh on awkward terms, after accepting a deal with the Patriots, so his opinions seem to strike a nerve with Steelers fans.
"Everybody's assuming that Le'Veon is coming back week 1. He has a whole mess of money to lose vs what he's going to lose per week," Harrison said.
Harrison also added that the Steelers may be tired of ‘not being able to make Le’Veon happy’ which seems to be the case after not getting a deal done for another consecutive year. For 2 years, both sides have tried to figure out a long-term deal that benefits both the Steelers and Bell, but neither side will agree to the other.
“They want to instill some confidence into Conner, they’ve seen what he’s done from preseason up until now.”
If by chance Bell chooses to holdout, James Conner will have to be the core of the run game. His preseason thus far makes this possibility more comfortable to think about but his stats don’t match those of Bell’s.
With no details with Bell set in stone, the coming days will tell what to expect of Bell this season.
