Le’Veon Bell continues to hold out over inability between him and the Pittsburgh Steelers to come to an agreement over a long-term contract. Meanwhile, his agent Adisa Bakari came out on Friday disputing a report saying the two sides had a deal on the table ahead of the July 17th franchise tag deadline.
Le'Veon Bell's agent Adisa Bakari said he and client never had any agreement with Steelers. "All stories to contrary are false," he said.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 18, 2017
Agent for Le’Veon Bell Denies Pre-Deadline Agreement on New Contract
According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsubrgh Post-Gazette, the Steelers assumed they had an agreement in place before the 4 PM deadline on July 17th. It was set to pay Bell over $30 million over the first two years of the contract. But the Steelers running back apparently rejected it, even though Bakari is refuting he actually did so.
The team placed the exclusive franchise tag on Bell in late February. That locked him into a one-year guaranteed contract paying him $12.12 million this coming season. Bell has yet to sign the deal which would make him the highest paid running back in the league. He’ll make almost $4 million more annually in 2017 than Devonta Freeman, who recently signed an extension with the Atlanta Falcons.
Bell’s reticence to sign a long-term deal stems from the fact he’s seeking annual compensation in the range of $15 million. He feels that’s his value as a player in the league, considering his ability both as a runner and a pass-catcher out of the backfield.
“I feel I should be valued as a player, not so much my position,” the 25-year-old told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN immediately after the deadline. “Hopefully down the line I can get valued at, not as much a guy who gets the ball 30 carries and that’s it.”
Bell is one of three players set to play under the franchise tag in 2017. Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins and Los Angeles Rams Trumaine Johnson will also do so. Both have already signed their franchise tenders, with Cousins playing under the tag for the second consecutive year.
For now, the Steelers must go through the preseason with players vying to be Bell’s backup when he eventually rejoins the team. It includes Knile Davis, Fitzgerald Toussaint, and rookie James Conner. Conner didn’t play in Pittsburgh’s preseason opener, a 20-12 win over the New York Giants. But he’s expected to make his debut with the team on Sunday when the team takes on the Atlanta Falcons.
Though it appeared Bell was on the verge of putting pen to paper on an extension in mid-July, his agent categorically denied this was the case. But when he eventually signs his franchise tender, he’ll have a lot of catching up to do in getting back up to speed within the Steelers offense.
