NFL News: Le'Veon Bell To Skip Offseason Activities If He Does Not Sign Long-Term Deal With The Pittsburgh Steelers
The good news is that Le'Veon Bell is not really planning to sit out the entire 2018 season if he does not sign a long-term deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The bad news is that he is prepared to skip the organized team activities (OTAs), training camp, and the preseason if he plays under the franchise tag for the second consecutive year.
"I'm going to be in the facility Week 1. It's going to be a rerun of last year. I'm not going to (training) camp. I'm not doing nothing else extra, OTAs, none of that," Bell said, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I want to win every game. I want to have the best statistical career that I possibly can, so I want to play in every game that I can possibly play," he added.
The Steelers will have until July 16 to work out a long-term deal with Bell, and the Pro Bowl running back seems confident they will eventually come to terms.
"It's not so much the money. I think that the problem is, it's more of me being valued as to where I feel like I produce," Bell noted.
Bell is scheduled to earn a guaranteed $14.54 million in 2018 if he plays under the franchise tender. He has previously said that he will not sign a long-term contract for less than $14.5 million annually.
Bell had a league-high 321 carries for 1,291 rushing yards (4.0 yards per carry) to go with nine touchdowns in 15 games with the Steelers last season. He also caught 85 passes for 655 receiving yards and two scores.
He was named a first-team All-Pro for the second time in his career last year, and he was picked for his third Pro Bowl as well.
Bell was drafted by the Steelers in the second round of the 2013 draft, and he has gone on to become one of the most productive running backs in franchise history.
