Do you prefer to pay for Le'Veon Bell or get a bargain for James Conner?

Let's say you lead the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the last two years, you have made a difficult decision; Do you keep your All-Pro background, innovative, happy with a massive contract extension (and, for your franchise, uncharacteristic)? Or do you risk losing it forever by hitting it with short-term business?

Since the closing of the books for the 2016 season, Le'Veon Bell has been treated with the first. The former second-round pick exceeded expectations during his contract with the rookies. He has accumulated more than 4,000 yards in his first four seasons, despite the absence of 17 games due to injury. He has also added a precious presence in the backfield, making 227 shots and offering a small margin of maneuver to florets like Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders and Martavis Bryant.

This performance made Bell one of the offensive weapons of the league. The Steelers were not interested in putting the market back in its place. Both parties failed to reach a contract extension in 2017, forcing the free agent to return to the list under the franchise label – a one-year, $ 12.12 million deal.

Bell held on for most of the pre-season, then came back a few days before Pittsburgh's first season. While he had to get rid of an early rust, he earned more than his eight-figure offer; 1,291 rushing yards, 85 catches and the first All-Pro team.

It was a good year, but not enough to move the needle to Pittsburgh. The franchise offered him $ 70 million over five years – but that $ 14 million salary was less than the $ 17 million that Bell would have liked. Rather than let him go, the Steelers have scored again, this time for $ 14.54 million. Bell was not happy, and this year's meeting resulted in official training before the first week. Pittsburgh has a very good chance of playing his first game against the Browns without Bell in the active lineup.

That puts the responsibility for the AFC North defending champion's race match on James Conner's shoulders. Conner, who played and even beat leukemia at the University of Pittsburgh, will have a lot of support in his corner. It seemed clear up here; 19 races for 100 yards in the preseason to go with seven receptions in three games.

The question for the Steelers is whether he is an acceptable replacement. Conner's Guaranteed Money is about five percent of what Bell was looking for, and these savings can be spent elsewhere on a list of players like Bud Dupree and Cameron Heyward. But eliminating Bell from the equation simplifies the Pittsburgh offense by eliminating one of the league's top players, making the team easier to stop.

So, since you lead the Steelers, who do you choose? Bell and his big money, or the youngest, cheaper and unproven Conner?

The case for: Le'Veon Bell at $ 60 million guaranteed (until 2022)

Bell wants $ 17 million a season, which is probably a little too much – the youngest, Todd Gurley, will average less than $ 14.4 million a year after signing his extension this summer – but it's easy to understand why. The five-year veteran has been dynamic for the Steelers since joining the league, giving Pittsburgh not only a hard runner who can clear his time in the second half, but also a reliable receiver capable of punishing opponents' defenses to dare to cover it. a linebacker.

Most importantly, the Steelers have flourished with him in the lineup. In the four years since his ineffective rookie season, Bell's teams have won three AFC North titles and have qualified for the playoffs four times. The only year they failed to win the division was in 2015 – a season where injuries limited the lineup to just six games. By letting him walk, Pittsburgh is cutting off a proven talent and playing on the unknown.

You can understand the club's concern about signing a massive contract with Bell. The NFL is just starting to return to a state where features are in vogue. Locking Bell, a player who missed an average of 3 games per season in the first five years due to injury and suspension from the league, is a risky way to spend nearly nine percent of his salary cap for all four coming years.

But this is the good risk to take because:

a) That's LeVeon Bell, and exactly one (1) league player can do what he does.
b) He has already proven that he makes the Steelers better.
c) The pay to go beyond the last years of the Ben Roethlisberger era is a service for both the team and the players.

Bell is only 26 years old and, even though he will not be the same player at the age of 30 in the last year of a huge five-year contract, there is Chances are that it remains effective throughout the duration of his contract. . Injuries are a cause for concern, but he still dominated the championship last year, missing only the game of the 17th week against the Browns. His yardage per race decreased last fall, but some of this result was due to a slow start after his pre-season participation. Despite this, he still managed to stand out in some of the team's biggest games, where he recorded more than 117 jogging attempts against the Ravens, Chiefs and Patriots.

With $ 5.9 million of space for 2018 even with $ 14.5 million of Bell's franchise on the books, Pittsburgh could put forward the All-Pro contract and isolate the team in case of a sharp decline. A new era is on the horizon for the Steelers, but Bell can be a player who not only sends the old with a shot, but also helps in the next era in a black and yellow calendar. They just have to pay it first. – Christian D'Andrea

The case for: James Conner at around $ 3 million guaranteed (until 2020)

To be clear, I fully support Bell who is trying to get a contract worthy of his very very talented skills. The way his linemen and some fans have turned to him does not suit me when he puts his body at stake for a franchise of over $ 2 billion.

But just like the NFL is a case for Bell, it's a big deal for the Steelers. And the smart financial decision on this current football market is to try to reduce costs with a young person, even one who does not produce at the same level.

Do not get me wrong, though: Conner is good. It could be great this year too, after a slow start to a career. As a rookie, he only carried the ball 33 times for 144 yards and did not take any passes until an MCL injury ended his season. The former Steelers OC Todd Haley, now a Hard blows MVP with the Browns, criticized Conner for his protection passes last year.

This may not leave you optimistic about his ability to replace Bell, which equates to the hatchet of a workaholic, a weapon in the passing game and a good blocker.

That's to say until you watch the off season that Conner just has to have. He lost weight and worked to improve as a receiver and blocker – and Ben Roethlisberger and Mike Tomlin both quickly praised his presence in both areas. If it sounds as if the team is swelling it, then take a look at his pre-season stats: an average of 5.3 yards per race, seven receptions and the highest score of Pro Football Focus.

Yes, it's pre-season, but it's still promising for a guy who will be in the lead while Bell will be out and probably next year when Bell is a free agent.

It's not just a one-for-one replacement. The Steelers can use their other rears – Canadian Stevan Ridley and rookie Jaylen Samuels – to fill the gaps.

Do not forget the rest of the offense either. Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jesse James, this OL – it's a pretty stacked unit. Although the way things went is a little crude, the point the Steelers have tried to make about the team is accurate. Bell has been a big part of their attack over the last five years, but he has not done it alone.

Without Bell, the Steelers have a worse record, even though they scored the same number of points:

Bell is one of the best backs in the league and he can do a lot. I also think the Steelers could get enough of Conner to justify not paying Bell the kind of money he's looking for.

And no matter what you think of Bell or the Steelers, I think we're all in favor of Conner. – Sarah Hardy

What would you choose?