Le'Veon Bell expected to sign with New York Jets

[Ken]

He was talking about "setting the market" and wanted a bigger deal than what Gurley got. His asking price was 17MIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I'm wondering why you say he did the right thing when he didn't get paid last year and got less than what he could have?

I agree with KurtFaulk. From everything I've read, the Steelers were only truly guaranteeing him 10m at signing. Sure, if he made the team that season he was guaranteed another 10m for his base salary, and then some more guarantees sometime the next season. But he was only guaranteed 10m at signing. The Jet's guaranteed 26m at signing. If he had a career ending injury during training camp after signing with the Steelers vs this year with the Jets he would have lost 16m if he signed the Steelers offer and 11.5m if he signed the tag.

Yes. He had an overinflated idea of what he could get in FA. But he told the Steelers he would not play on the tag again and they tagged him anyway. I respect his decision to not play for them. I don't judge 'winning' on how money much he could have made had he played by their rules and not got injured. I agree with whoever it was that said he would have been smarter not to play on the 1st tag. But he trusted the Steelers to treat him right, and they did not. Had the Rams tried to tag AD, I would have been on his side if he decided to sit out the season, not matter the amount of money he may have left on the table.

 

[LesBaker]

I agree with KurtFaulk. From everything I've read, the Steelers were only truly guaranteeing him 10m at signing. Sure, if he made the team that season he was guaranteed another 10m for his base salary, and then some more guarantees sometime the next season. But he was only guaranteed 10m at signing. The Jet's guaranteed 26m at signing. If he had a career ending injury during training camp after signing with the Steelers vs this year with the Jets he would have lost 16m if he signed the Steelers offer and 11.5m if he signed the tag.

Yes. He had an overinflated idea of what he could get in FA. But he told the Steelers he would not play on the tag again and they tagged him anyway. I respect his decision to not play for them. I don't judge 'winning' on how money much he could have made had he played by their rules and not got injured. I agree with whoever it was that said he would have been smarter not to play on the 1st tag. But he trusted the Steelers to treat him right, and they did not. Had the Rams tried to tag AD, I would have been on his side if he decided to sit out the season, not matter the amount of money he may have left on the table.

The guaranteed money was not all in the signing bonus. It was in salary too. So it WAS guaranteed. And it's a larger number than the Jets gave him.

The whole straw man about a career ending injury holds no water. When was the last time we saw that happen?

I agree that the Steelers tagging him set him off, but name a player that hasn't played under the tag..........I know these guys make crazy millions but what he did hurt way more than helped his cause. Why not just play, cash the checks and kick ass on the field and make yourself attractive to teams. Flipping the bird and sitting out while rubbing it in a teams face does not up your value.

As far as the Steelers not treating him right, that is just not the case. They didn't pay him what HE wanted, but it was a huge contract, the biggest for a RB ever. He just wanted more.

Would you have given him 17MIL for 5 or 6 years?

Keep in mind the suspension/injury thing.

He's one bong hit from missing half a season.

 

[Ken]

The guaranteed money was not all in the signing bonus. It was in salary too. So it WAS guaranteed. And it's a larger number than the Jets gave him.

The whole straw man about a career ending injury holds no water. When was the last time we saw that happen?

I agree that the Steelers tagging him set him off, but name a player that hasn't played under the tag..........I know these guys make crazy millions but what he did hurt way more than helped his cause. Why not just play, cash the checks and kick ass on the field and make yourself attractive to teams. Flipping the bird and sitting out while rubbing it in a teams face does not up your value.

As far as the Steelers not treating him right, that is just not the case. They didn't pay him what HE wanted, but it was a huge contract, the biggest for a RB ever. He just wanted more.

Would you have given him 17MIL for 5 or 6 years?

Keep in mind the suspension/injury thing.

He's one bong hit from missing half a season.

Hell no, I wouldn't have given him anywhere near 17m/yr. Maybe you're right, but from what I've read he was only guaranteed 10m at signing. How come I've read multiple (non-Steelers biased) usually reliable sources that state that, and not one that states he was guaranteed 20+m at signing (and not 'rolling' guarantees). It doesn't matter how much was for a signing bonus vs salary. I've read it was 10m at signing (not just the signing bonus part). That sounds like he needed to be on the team during the season to get the salary guaranteed. I still respect his decision. If his only criteria was how much money he would make during his career and he knows he will never get injured, then yes, it was a dumb decision. But sometimes its about more than just the money, and I think that was the case here. I believe many players judge themselves and their value as players based on their contracts vs their peers, and that played a part. He was pissed at the Steelers and that played a large part in his decision as well.

 

[LesBaker]

But sometimes its about more than just the money, and I think that was the case here.

You can read read the thread and see the what you're saying about the 10 million guaranteed is not factual.

And if you think in this case it was something other than the money you definitely have not been watching what's been going on because it was only about the money

 

[ReekofRams]

I haven’t read enough of this to know who’s right, but I do know it’s @LesBaker against the world. Good luck Les.

 

[kurtfaulk]

You can read read the thread and see the what you're saying about the 10 million guaranteed is not factual.

And if you think in this case it was something other than the money you definitely have not been watching what's been going on because it was only about the money

apart from the clown who else said there was more than $10m fully guaranteed? if you're relying on the clown as your source you got nothing.

.

 

[jrry32]

The guaranteed money was not all in the signing bonus. It was in salary too. So it WAS guaranteed. And it's a larger number than the Jets gave him.

It was a rolling guarantee structure, which means he wasn't guaranteed much of anything beyond that one year. Made no sense for him to take that deal. It was a bad deal.

 

[dieterbrock]

I have no dog in this fight because I cant stand the Steelers, but drafted James Conner and was glad Bell was out all year...
That said, the 10 mill signing bonus wasn't the only guaranteed money, the first year of the deal was too.
I'm not sure why people are so hung up over it. Pittsburgh deal was at least 20 mill guaranteed

 

[OldSchool]

Imo he was more interested in sticking it to the Steelers than anything else. The numbers in his new contract with the Jets don’t look like that happened.

 

[LesBaker]

Imo he was more interested in sticking it to the Steelers than anything else. The numbers in his new contract with the Jets don’t look like that happened.

It's still big money, so he can't complain until he decided he wants more two years from now and starts talking shit again.

 

[OldSchool]

It's still big money, so he can't complain until he decided he wants more two years from now and starts talking crap again.

Which is something easily believable from his recent actions and words.

 

[LesBaker]

Imo he was more interested in sticking it to the Steelers than anything else.

@OldSchool he may have cost them a trip to the playoffs. One more win and they would be 10-5-1, better than the Colts for the last Wild Card.

It's not hard to imagine him being worth one win.