Hurley: Steelers Are Playing Le'Veon Bell Situation Perfectly, And That's Sort Of Depressing
By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- In the ongoing saga playing out between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Le'Veon Bell, there should be no debate on this one point: The man is worth a ton of money. Pinpointing the exact dollar amount may lend itself to some wiggle room, but Bell's value should not be questioned; he's amassed over 3,800 yards from scrimmage and 20 touchdowns in the past two seasons, accounting for roughly one-third of Pittsburgh's offensive output and almost a quarter of their scoring.
Bell's worth a ton of money. But the Steelers are right to not simply empty the vault for him. And that's a bit of a depressing reality for NFL superstars.
Of course, "depressing" may be an exaggerated term. Bell made over $12 million last year under the franchise tag, and he's set to earn a little over $14.5 million this season. He's surely well-compensated.
At the same time, Bell is absolutely right to want some long-term security. He is the one putting his body on the line, and he's also the one who's at times carrying not just the football but the entire team itself. He is that much of a game-changing player.
As a second-round pick, Bell clearly and obviously outperformed his rookie contract. In 2014, he accumulated 2,215 yards from scrimmage (22nd-most all time) and scored 11 touchdowns, all while making under $1 million. But that is part of the deal with being an NFL player; you use your rookie contract to prove your worth, and then you cash in as a free agent.
Bell, though, has obviously not been able to partake in the cashing in part of the equation. Yes, getting franchised in consecutive years for what amounts to essentially be a two-year deal worth $26 million is a reasonably fair value, but it's also prevented Bell from truly being given what he's earned. And if he blows out his knee during training camp? He never will get that big-money deal. And the Steelers organization will look wise to not commit to a player at such a physically taxing position.
And while Bell no doubt deserves that massive payday, the Steelers are currently being smart by showing some restraint. The team reportedly offered Bell a five-year deal that would have guaranteed him $33 million over the first two years. Even that was a bit exorbitant of an offer for a running back (albeit a running back who's highly involved as a receiver, too), but it was not an offer that fully met all of Bell's demands.
Bell likely believes that next year, when he's a free agent at 27 years old, he'll finally get the contract he so adamantly has been seeking. But he'll just as likely be faced with the grim NFL reality that no team will be looking to give that massive contract to a player with that kind of mileage.
The recent case of DeMarco Murray's retirement at age 30 does Bell no favors, and sheds a perfect light on why NFL teams will hesitate to open up the vaults for Bell next year. It was just four seasons ago when Murray rushed for 1,845 yards for the Cowboys. He earned the rushing title by a mile, amassing 484 more yards than the second-leading back (who happened to be Bell). Murray's 392 rushing attempts were 80 more than anybody else, and his 13 touchdowns were tied for the most in the NFL. At the time, the 26-year-old was due to get paid so that he could continue his dominance over the NFL.
Murray ended up getting a five-year, $42 million deal as a free agent with the Eagles, though it was really a deal that fully guaranteed him $18 million. And once arriving in Philadlephia, Murray ... did not exactly maintain his level of play. Across the board, his stats were cut in half.
The following offseason, Murray's value had dipped quite a bit. The Titans acquired him (and a fourth-round pick) in exchange for ... a fourth-round pick. He had a good year in 2016 (1,287 rushing yards and 9 TDs, plus another 377 receiving yards and 3 receiving TDs), but the numbers dipped significantly in 2017, and his season ended in injury. The Titans unceremoniously released him in March. And now he's retired at age 30.
That's a story that is all too familiar for NFL running backs.
(It will be interesting to monitor Bell's usage in the coming season. His priority may be to perform at a high level while remaining as healthy as possible heading into free agency. The Steelers' priority may be to squeeze every last ounce of production out of Bell before setting him free at season's end. If their priorities are at odds, how does that play out with game plans? In meeting rooms? On practice fields? Bell did lead the NFL with 321 carries last year. Will he be happy to do that again? Or would he prefer a more cautious approach?)
In Bell's case, people may say that a negotiating starting point of $17 million per season was unrealistic. They wouldn't be wrong, per se. But Bell knows how short the window is for players to make their money. All too often, and especially at the running back position, players are chewed up and spit out on a regular basis. They're run into the ground until their bodies don't work like they used to, and then they're left to decide whether they want to tough out another few years at a lower salary or walk away from the game entirely. Teams don't really care what the players decide, because there's always a new crop of running backs ready to step in for low money the following year.
The last two league leaders in rushing were both rookies. Kareem Hunt, last year's rushing leader, was drafted 86th overall. Teams know that they can get production at that position at a low cost. And considering that, the Steelers actually look generous with their offer to Bell. (That's especially true when you consider Bell's multiple suspensions, his torn MCL in 2015, his late-night tweets before playoff games, and his lack of career postseason impact.)
And that's really the sad part about the matter. If you like or love football, you should root for the players to make their money. Everybody else is making theirs. The owners are making more money than most humans can properly comprehend. The coaches are making their money. The executives are making their money. And they all have much longer careers than the players -- aka the people who actually make the NFL a real, live football league. Until the owners and execs can replace those real players with robotic cyborgs, players will remain necessary to the NFL. And the players should get the money that they deserve.
But with the way the system is structured, and with the ever-present reality that all players are one snap away from a career-ending injury, good teams just can't afford to be generous, no matter how much they may love a player. It may not be fair, but little in the NFL ever is.
You can email Michael Hurley or find him on Twitter @michaelFhurley.