Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell is playing under the last year of his rookie contract, which means he is in for a massive pay day at some point in the near future. In the short-term, that may come in the form of the franchise tag.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Steelers are expected to use the franchise tag on Bell this offseason, which would mean they are guaranteed to have him under contract for at least the 2017 season at a salary of $12.377 million. The ultimate goal would be to work out a long-term extension with Bell, and Schefter anticipates that the former Michigan State star could become the highest-paid running back in the NFL. Peterson is currently the highest-paid with an average annual salary of $14 million.
While Bell is easily one of the most dangerous offensive players in football, signing him long-term would not come without risk. He tore some ligaments in his knee last season, though he has shown no ill effects from that.
What is perhaps a bigger concern is that Bell has already been suspended twice for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy — once for a DUI arrest and the other time for reportedly missing several drug tests. Another slip-up would trigger a 10-game suspension.
Bell’s judgment off the field has been questionable, as evidenced by the boneheaded remark he made to police when he was arrested. But if the Steelers feel he has learned from his mistakes and can stay out of trouble, signing him to a lucrative deal should be money well spent.
