Le’Veon Bell is heading for a second consecutive training camp holdout if he and the Pittsburgh Steelers cannot agree on a long-term contract extension, but the star running back insists the situation now is not the same as it was a year ago.
Bell appeared on NFL Network after he placed No. 5 on the annual Top 100 players list, and he was asked about his contract talks. He expressed optimism that an agreement can be reached.
“Obviously, the people in the organization try to do what’s best for them and I’m trying to do what’s best for me,” Bell said. “We’re working on it. We’re a lot closer than we were last year at this time. That’s what I’m happy about. None of that matters if we don’t get it done. Hopefully we’ll try to get something done. That’s what I’m looking forward to. I got confidence we’ll get it done. I want to do it.”
Bell, who has been hit with the franchise tag for the second year in a row, missed basically Pittsburgh’s entire offseason last year. He said he is hoping to avoid that happening again this summer.
“I don’t want to have the replications of what happened last year,” he said. “But if that came down to that, obviously I got to do what I got to do. Take my stand and protect myself. I don’t want to have to do that. I want to go to camp and play for the Steelers long term.”
If he plays under the franchise tag again in 2018, Bell will earn $14.5 million. The Steelers have until July 16 to sign him to a long-term deal, so it’s a positive sign that Bell considers the two sides “a lot closer” than last year with the deadline looming.
Bell is reportedly seeking what would be an unprecedented salary for a running back, and it’s unclear if the Steelers are willing to go that high. Perhaps there is a middle ground the two sides are closing in on.
