[ad_1]
Updated less than a minute ago
The bell rang on Tuesday, but not Le'Veon.
The 16 hours The deadline came and went without the half-star Le'Veon Bell shows up at the Pittsburgh Steelers, which meant he had to stay away from the rest of the season.
Coach Mike Tomlin was ready to face the inevitable when he met the media at noon and was asked how he would feel if Bell did not return to the team.
"So be it," said Tomlin.
Bell had until 4 pm to sign his franchise offer or lose the rest of his salary of $ 14.54 million. Bell had already missed 10 weeks of salary worth $ 8.55 million by staying away and he will no longer have the remaining $ 6 million.
Bell said he was ready to end his boycott last week when he left his training venue in Miami to travel to Pittsburgh. He was seen playing basketball at a local fitness club and posted a video on his Instagram account stating that he was in Gibsonia.
Steelers President Art Rooney II expressed optimism ahead of the team's game against Carolina on Thursday night, with Bell joining the team. "We're sort of waiting for him to come back next week," Rooney said.
But other conflicting signals have surfaced. Bell withdrew any association with the Steelers from its social media accounts, and ESPN reported Saturday that Bell had decided to spend the rest of the season.
Tomlin said he had "no reaction" to the possibility of Bell not joining the team.
"A reaction comes from me if and when he goes through that door," said Tomlin. "Until that happens, I'm as usual and I focus on those who are here and who work, as it should be. In this way, I do not waste my time and theirs. "
Bell will become an unrestricted free agent in 2019, unless the Steelers use the franchise label for a third consecutive season, apply the transition label or sign it for a long-term contract. This latter perspective is unlikely since both parties failed to reach an agreement in the previous two reasons, when they could not agree on guaranteed money.
The amount of the franchise agreement is also prohibitive, as the allowance would increase to more than $ 25 million in 2019. Although this option would be cheaper, it would allow Bell to negotiate a long-term contract with any team. the NFL. The Steelers would have the right to join the offer but would not receive any compensation if Bell signed elsewhere.
If the Steelers simply allow Bell to leave as a free agent, they will receive compensation – probably a third round pick – in the 2020 draft.
When asked if Bell could still have a future with the Steelers, Tomlin replied, "Dude, I did not think about that. … I am focused on the guys who are here. We have enough challenges to meet the goals we have to face this week to win. "
Tomlin reiterated that he had had no contact with Bell since the beginning of the season. He did not find the lack of unusual communication.
"Under the circumstances, no," he said. "I understand that business is an element of the game. Even when we do not understand it, we are sensitive to it, so we are not shocked when things happen from a business point of view. "
The Steelers will finish the season with James Conner as starting star and rookie Jaylen Samuels and veteran Stevan Ridley as substitutes. Conner is third in the NFL with 771 yards rushing and tied for first place with five 100-yard touchdowns and a second with 1,158 yards of scrimmage.
Samuels and Ridley combined for 13 hits last Thursday in a 52-21 win over Carolina, their most important job of the season.
"The Running Room is the group we've been working with since Latrobe was registered, so there's no adjustment needed," said Tomlin. "There is no change in feelings or thoughts about the challenges that our schedule holds as we progress."
When he made his weekly segment on 93.7-FM radio on Tuesday morning, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said he was ready to welcome Bell's return – with a caveat.
"If he wants to be part of that team, that's the big question for me," Roethlisberger said. "If he wants to come here and be part of this team, absolutely. He is one of the best football players. Why would not you want an extra weapon? Why would not you want a guy who comes to do special things on a football field to give James a break and so on? Only if he wants to.
"We do not want anyone here simply because he owes or feels obliged. If he wanted to be with us, we wish him a safe return. "
No home will be needed as it turned out.
Steelers Nation, get the latest news about the Pittsburgh Steelers here.
Joe Rutter is an editor of Tribune-Review. You can contact Joe at [email protected] or via Twitter @tribjoerutter.
[ad_2]
Source link
