Le’Veon Bell Chatter
January 3rd, 2019
Sports TV talk show guessing.
The Bucs need a running back and Joe is of the mind the Bucs need to make a playoff run in 2019 for Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht to secure a contract extension from Team Glazer.
(Licht’s current contract lasts through the 2019 season.)
So with the Bucs during the Licht Administration whiffing on running backs right and left, will Licht roll the dice again in the draft or will he go out and make it rain with Team Glazer loot and get a free agent running back with a proven track record?
Per Albert Breer of theMMQB.com, the answer is malcontent running back Le’Veon Bell.
The free agent and former (?) Steelers running back totally blew off the 2018 season and took a p!ss on his teammates while he decided to jet ski off of South Beach and give a finger to the Steelers because he thought he was being underpaid by being franchised.
Appearing on the Colin Cowturd Show, Breer was asked who Bell would be playing for next year. Breer simply said the Bucs and did not elaborate. Cowturd replied, “That’s what I’ve heard.” He also did not elaborate.
Joe hopes Licht is not that desperate. On paper, Bell would make sense. Team Glazer likes splash and Joe is guessing Licht is feeling the heat from Team Glazer about the Bucs stuck in a losing rut.
On paper, it makes sense but given the nonsense the team had to put up with from malcontent wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who nearly ripped the locker room in half and damn near destroyed America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, Joe wonders whether Licht would be motivated to sign a known cancer and put up with that crap again?
Yes, Bell is a serious talent but he comes with serious baggage, not to mention you don’t know if he will just walk out the door on a whim and never return. How can you put any trust in the guy after what he did to the Steelers?
January 3rd, 2019 at 12:08 am
Desean 2.0
January 3rd, 2019 at 12:23 am
We have so many holes that have to be filled on this team.
4 on the O line
We need two running backs
We need 2 d lineman
We need 2 backers
We need an entire secondary
In 3 years if we draft properly then we will be ready for a franchise back
Now….it would be a waste
January 3rd, 2019 at 12:29 am
Do it ASAP!!!
January 3rd, 2019 at 12:32 am
The only way Bell works in Tampa is if we hire a Bruce Arians type coach who can deal with that kind of locker room personality.
For whatever reason, our locker room seems too fragile to handle what the Steelers are dealing with. Not sure if Koetter could have managed that either.
Arians or bust? Nah. Just #KeepItLicht. Although Arians seems to want to coach our Bucs.
January 3rd, 2019 at 12:34 am
Why is the term “splash” being thrown around this week? I have not seen “splash” from the Bucs since we traded for Gruden.
January 3rd, 2019 at 12:37 am
I agree with destinjohnny. Our current OL can’t open running lanes for anyone. Leveon wouldn’t have much more success than Barber.
January 3rd, 2019 at 12:38 am
Pass
The dude is too primadonna and over rated, with our o-line he will be buried in the backfield along with Rojo. Better idea, spend same amount money on the o-line and get a real motivator coach and count on seeing better results than going Glazer broke with Leveon Bell. Likely move Donovan Smith to guard or better yet just dump him and buy a new tackle or get the best one in the draft.
January 3rd, 2019 at 12:41 am
Destinjohnny, your numbers are waaaay off.
1 OL tops. The rest are developing.
1 RB. Barber is goid as a #2. We also have two young RBs.
We don’t need any DLine, except depth, unless McCoy leaves the team. Currently, we have JPP, Vita Vea, GMC & Nassib. Vea and Nassib will be beasts, JPP already is.
By 2 Backers, do you mean Linebackers? That’s not one bit true unless you think Kwon, Beckwith & Cichy won’t come back from injury.
Heck, we’ve even got some developing youth at CB & Safety.
January 3rd, 2019 at 1:08 am
This guy is not a malcontent to me. I feel like it is the national media portraying a guy who just wants his pay as a malcontent. This is simply a player who wanted to get paid for his production.
The guy had 321 children carries for 1291 and 85 receptions for 655 yards in 15 games, he is a work horse and the Steelers didn’t want to pay him. (Barber has 234 for 871 yards and 20 receptions for 92 yards)
We could basically give him Gerald’s money and call it a day.
Who would have a bigger impact next year, Gerald or Bell?
Id take Bell
January 3rd, 2019 at 1:25 am
Could you imagine the offense Arians could put together!
We are always so quick to turn our noses up at good players who have ‘tudes. Y’all do know that Lagarette Blount, Aqib Talib, and Michael Bennett all have rings right? And their ‘tudes still suck.
Give Arians our offense (with DJax!!!) and LeVeon Bell and watch the F out! Draft the best available offensive and/or defensive lineman in the first and second round. That would be a splash. Ooooooh that might even be good to watch.
January 3rd, 2019 at 1:26 am
Maybe the God like Steelers aren’t so great after all- they seem to have a big issue treating their best players with the respect they feel due to them.
Perhaps these grown men don’t want to be under the thumb of tomlin- perhaps they think rothlesberfer is not so cool after all.
Replace deshaun w Antonio Bryant- him and Evans make a decent pair
Get Leveon too- I’d tune into see that
January 3rd, 2019 at 1:37 am
Uh, a running back that wants the ball… all the Bucs fans complained about not running the ball…
LOL!
I don’t see the issue here.
The guy is a great back and can catch the ball. I’ve never heard about him being lazy, he doesn’t do the alligator arm routine, and while his teammates were mad about him saying he’d show-up and then him not showing up, I never really heard anything bad before that. Sure they might have got their panties in a bind because they were upset he told them something and then of course ran to the media to report what he said, and in turn they looked stupid, but so what, get over it.
Anywho the Bucs should be all in on this. A great back who can catch the ball, that’s exactly what we need.
Get him, and trade for Tomlin too. See if they’ll throw in Brown as well. We have lots of pieces we can give up for the trio. 1st round pick, 3rd round pick, D-Jax, Brate, Ronald, can even throw in McCoy to help with salary relief (and I like McCoy, but that’s an incredible trio).
Seriously. Make a huge offer to Pittsburgh and try to get all three. Then we’re in the playoffs, next year, and probably for a while after that.
January 3rd, 2019 at 1:41 am
I’ll take Leveon all day every day. Dude nearly had 2000 yards from scrimmage in 2 of 5 years. Lmao at these guys turning their noses at one of the best RBs in the game. Let’s keep mediocrity and pray. No thanks. Get Bell
January 3rd, 2019 at 1:53 am
Folks aren’t paying attention.
Bell is the ultimate patient running back. He waits behind his blocks for holes to materialize, probably more than any back ever. There are no holes behind this offensive line. He’d be a $15 whatever million waste of talent. Draft and sign some legitimate offensive linemen, “former offensive lineman Jason Licht”. Then maybe we could be like the Steelers and run second and third stringers effectively if we had to. Come on man, do your freakin homework and draft effectively. Or get out of here!
We don’t want to go into the Draft with a new head coach AND a new GM. Good strategy. Jason, if it’s not clear to you, let me help. A new coach is coming in this year. If you don’t figure this talent thing out and show a playoff team this next year, there’ll be a new GM here next year.
JL…bottom line
January 3rd, 2019 at 1:54 am
Ummm, with our oline he better bring himself a casket.
January 3rd, 2019 at 2:20 am
Our #1 RB didn’t even have 100 receiving yards ALL season! He had one 100 yard game and didn’t get 20 rushes once!
I don’t even think we know what we have because our RB main responsibilities these past few years has been to pass block and run up the guy for 3 freakin yards.
Look at what Arians did for David Johnson and look at Johnson now. Just think what Arians could do with Bell.
Jameis haters would hate to see his completion percentage, TDS, and Byrd’s gonup because he has a dynamic pass catcher out of the backfield. Then again they would just say Jameis is trash and Bell is making him.
Haha ‘‘tis a Buc’s Life.
January 3rd, 2019 at 2:21 am
“Talent wins games and gets you into the playoffs…
Running is overrated in the new modern offense. Explosive plays occur more with the pass to the runningback
Bells pass catching will loosen the front 7 for his runs
JW can throw the intermittent 15-20 yard pass plays in his sleep…we need to loosen that blanket coverage with short passing attack in the 1st 10 yards
All the top offenses pats, rams, saints, philly use the rb screens to bring in the linebackers and then setup to pass over them with passes to tight ends and wrs
* i like golden tate over hump if doesnt want to give a home discount. Tate can take the short pass more vertical than hump. Best yac reciever in the NFL for the last 5 years
Kobe Faker
January 3rd, 2019 at 2:22 am
*** Yards, not Byrd’s.
January 3rd, 2019 at 2:44 am
DeJax nearly ripped the locker room in half?
January 3rd, 2019 at 2:51 am
Baggage ? Geez and almost ripping jameis in half you say of d.jackson ? My my my Joe if that’s all it takes to rip America’s QB in half Joe who needs him anyway ? Are you kidding me ? Big Ben is strong enough to withstand him , Bryant & a.b Joe & jameis can’t even handle meshawn Jackson Joe ? Come on !!!! So your gonna let one of if not the top back go right over our heads because your afraid he could possibly tear jameis apart ? Good gosh , your part of the problem around these parts with that way of thinking Joe…give me a break ! Let me ask you this , would you have not wanted lorence Taylor back in the 80’s to be the best linebacker for us because you were afraid of his after hrs stuff rubbing off on our QB Joe ?
January 3rd, 2019 at 3:00 am
If there’s a chance a new coach can dump crappy gmc & his salary and get bell YOU EFFIN DO IT ! Then you work on your line and tell jameis if you get into trouble just dump it to bell and watch him work ! For thoes of you who would pass on bell your either smoking something or your crazy af !you could pay the man so don’t worry about the money..we will be dumping at least 50 mil in cap room as soon as we get rid of a bunch of losers !
January 3rd, 2019 at 3:21 am
Please god no.
January 3rd, 2019 at 3:37 am
The only way the Bucs get him is if they meet his financial demands. So, if the money issue is taken care of, then I don’t see why he’d complain during the season. Just make sure to have a clause in his contract that voids the guarantees if he holds out for some reason. His gripe with his money is about the only thing I’ve heard negative about the guy. He is stupid good at toting the rock.
But, the #1 question is, why lock up so much money in Bell and have little left over to address other needs? We still have to pay Hump, fork over 20M to Jameis, get rookies under contract, and sign some other FAs. We’re not just one RB away from the playoffs. It only makes sense if we can address multiple areas of need while getting Le’Veon in the fold at the same time.
As Jimmy Johnson said, “They have money locked up in the wrong positions.” The financially responsible thing would be to get another FA RB or draft one either this year or next. RBs don’t have to win the rushing title to be effective.
January 3rd, 2019 at 3:57 am
Only 2 RBS bucs should chase. Trade for David Johnson. Or draft LJ Scott.
January 3rd, 2019 at 4:35 am
Bell has probably earned a bum wrap because of poor pr. RB’s don’t last long in the league and this is the second year in a row Bell was franchised. Bell played with the franchise tag last year. I think a year to “work it out” is fair and balanced, but two years isn’t and puts too much risk on a player’s continued health. In the case of an RB, it could be his prime years. Franchised players aren’t bench warmers. They’re every down players central to a team’s success. He took one for the team last year so they rewarded him with another franchise tag. If you ask me, the Steelers got what they deserved by doing this to Bell two years running. If he has/had unreasonable contract demands, one year on a franchise tag is enough to either convince him or lose his rights (the contract is expired). After that, the market can tell him his demands are unreasonable…or prove he was right. Can you imagine if your boss could prevent you from quitting and dictate your salary for two years. I appreciate the franchise tag pays pretty well, but two years in a row is flat wrong.
January 3rd, 2019 at 5:31 am
Just what team needs, another distraction!
January 3rd, 2019 at 5:35 am
Well if you want Licht to stay at 27-53, so be it, but Bell alone won’t be the only fix needed.
January 3rd, 2019 at 5:37 am
football means f-all to these types of guys….money and attention
January 3rd, 2019 at 5:51 am
Cut Gerald and use some of the savings on signing Bell.
January 3rd, 2019 at 6:10 am
how the check do you say that about bell and yet defend winston? bell has proven it on the field and wants to be paid for the toll his body will take in the short time he has. great decision.
winston hasn’t proven anything on the field worthwhile and proven tons off it. winston screwed his team worse and can get suspended again for a year with his penchant of illegal, ill-advised decisions.
smh this is such a poor, thought out position by a joe.
January 3rd, 2019 at 6:23 am
whoevwr signs this guy wilk over pay him, and he will walk in the door actung kike he owns the place. Implosion….
January 3rd, 2019 at 6:37 am
Was Bruce Arians and Lev in Pittsburgh together? I don’t think we can afford him, but how many running plays of 20+ yards, probably about 5 and Jameis had 2-3 of those.
January 3rd, 2019 at 6:55 am
Not a desean 2.0. He was in the right to sit out like he has.
Also, in a year where it is make or break for Jameis, why not give Jameis a sure fire back to hand the ball to. No more messing around. And if Jameis fails, you have the best back in the league and a top 5 WR to build with moving forward.
January 3rd, 2019 at 7:03 am
Yah. I think Bell was just trying to set a precedent in NFL since he was one of the best running backs in NFL….but on top of that he had just as many catches as the best receivers in the nfl so he was looking for compensation more toward receiver side. And he wanted more guaranteed like WR since running backs have a short shelf life. Especially him who had the most touches of any running back each year.
It’s funny though. I guarantee if he was unhappy about getting the ball more and Bucs were struggling, most of the messiah cult here would say he called our qb a bad name and then lambast a smear campaign on him as well . “Nobody touches my man”
So can’t see this happening
January 3rd, 2019 at 7:05 am
I would rather have Kareem Hunt. Don’t have to give up anything to sign him and he’s younger and a lot cheaper.
January 3rd, 2019 at 7:05 am
Fred McNeil
No doubt about that. Or At least one body bag. Sure he could afford a luxurious casket though
January 3rd, 2019 at 7:05 am
I’d be ok with Leveon! He’s a hell of a runner, Nebraska I think he’ll be anxious to show that he’s worth the money.
January 3rd, 2019 at 7:10 am
Since brown will be out in Pitt , try to trade DJax for bell, or McCoy for bell , if we have to throw a late round pick like a 5-7 still worth it. Of course it only works if we get a good HC and 1-2 players to upgrade the o line
January 3rd, 2019 at 7:11 am
GOD NO!!!!!!!
I live in Steeler country South of Erie. Bell is a name no one will miss up here. If Bell ever came out of hiding, Steeler fans would crucify him.
Bell has no loyalty and Antonio Brown is also on his way out. Lots of RBs would look good running behind the Steeler OL and having ROthlisberger as their QB.
If he can’t be happy with a solid Steeler team, then he will be miserable giant PITA with a lesser OL.
January 3rd, 2019 at 7:16 am
Michigan State
January 3rd, 2019 at 7:40 am
Phil is right Kareem Hunt is better, faster, cheaper
January 3rd, 2019 at 7:57 am
No loyalty? People need to grow up. This is the NFL which means professional football. You think these teams have any loyalty to the players? The guy wanted a long term deal based on high production over a 5 year time and they wouldn’t do the deal. Where’s their loyalty?
Never blame a player for trying to get paid. Their life expectancy in this league is very short. You would do the same.
January 3rd, 2019 at 8:10 am
I don’t know about $17 mill per over 5 years, with 80% of that fully guaranteed which is roundabout what Lev wants…..but we are in NO position to be summarily passing up on those dimensions that add unquestionably to the offense like Lev Bell would! Especially if it’s Bruce Arians, and he feels that cog takes pressure off Jameis, allows Evans to not be doubled as much, etc.. etc…AND if we can’t patch the entire defense in 1 offseason. And talk about wanting to fill the empty seats????….Lev Bell would certainly makes us more entertaining.
Keep a very open mind….
Team Glazer go GET JOHN Harbaugh!
January 3rd, 2019 at 8:14 am
NOT too mention Lev Bell’s agent advising him on the no state income tax difference between the NYJ, IND, and us…. on $17 mill per about, that would be a pretty distinct difference.
January 3rd, 2019 at 8:21 am
Sign him!!!!
January 3rd, 2019 at 8:55 am
Pass.
Overrated.
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:12 am
kris richard handled:
richard sherman
michael bennett
earl thomas
kam chancellor
cliff avirl
bobby wagner
all strong minded and sometimes difficult personalities……He’ll make Bell fall in line!!!!!
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!….#ADIOSDIRK!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:13 am
It won’t happen anyway …players talk to each other, agents talk to each other, agents talk to other agents players, players talk to other players agents. The buzz will be don’t go to Tampa Bay. DJax is pretty well known and the local media has treated him and McCoy like crap lately. You don’t think that has any bearings on attracting FA’s? …then you are naïve, everyone loves to blame the GM but the local media plays a big part on a FA’s decisions to sign in certain markets. Remember this, JPP was traded here, he didn’t come here on his own fruition. If asked had he been a FA would Tampa been his first choice? Le’Veon Bell would say “Show me the money?”
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:13 am
Sign him and Hunt…
Hunt could be had for a song.
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:14 am
If we got Bell, that would be amazing. That would solve RB for 2-3 years.
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:19 am
I hope not either because the last GM made a desperate move by signing Darrelle Revis to save his own job.
Is Jay-Miss is mentally weak? Look at all the drama in Pittsburgh. We never hear of Antonio Brown darn near destroying Ben Roethlissberger.
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:39 am
There are only so many draft picks and many of them don’t work out. If they could sign Bell, they could use the pick that would need to be made for another RB on an offensive lineman to help block for him.
January 3rd, 2019 at 11:40 am
Get him. The right contract can be worked out to protect the organization should he flake out. He’s an impact player which this team has almost none of. He’d make a fantastic security blanket for Winston.
January 3rd, 2019 at 1:56 pm
I’ll take 4yrs of Benny Snell Jr on a Rookie 3rd Rd Contract vs 4yrs of Bell @ $14-15M per (which is the $$$ he’s asking for).
To me, It’s a no-brainer to deal back from the #5 (w/ Giants & get more picks in rds 2-4 to fill the multiple roster holes…(LT / RT / swing G-C / 3T DL / Edge-DE / ILB / SS / CB / RB / #2QB ).
January 3rd, 2019 at 3:34 pm
As much as it’d be awesome to add him to our offense, the way he jerked the Steelers around this season is a major red flag … Not worth the risk.
January 3rd, 2019 at 4:57 pm
Jaboo….that’s not actually correct…The Steelers most certainly tried to negotiate with Bell…he turned down a long term 70 million dollar deal. He turned down 14.5 million for one year!
If Mike Tomlin could not manage Bell what makes folks think the Bucs have or will have anybody in house who can control Bell.
I agree with Joe…we simply have too many problems…many of them cultural and dealing with team chemistry to bring in a self centered jerk and see how that works out.
And I’m sorry for some of you guys. I have personally turned down more money at one place because I preferred working at a different place. Yes it is the NFL and professional with people playing for money…But believe it or not there is more to quality of life…happiness on the job…than just $$$. And we’re not even talking rational dollars…so a guy turns down a 70 million long term deal…turns down 14.5 million for a single year and we give a rats arse about him protecting his career?
Really? Bell has more money already than the vast majority of all of our posters added together. He is soooo wealthy he can just sneer at 14.5 million.