Le'Veon Bell, Melvin Ingram to hold out?

Le’Veon Bell, Melvin Ingram to hold out?

Oct 12, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell (26) is defended by San Diego Chargers inside linebacker Donald Butler (56) and inside linebacker Denzel Perryman (52) during the first quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /

With OTAs underway for all 32 teams in the NFL, don’t expect Le’Veon Bell and Melvin Ingram to show up due to contract disputes.

OTAs have begun for all 32 teams and as the name reflected, it’s optional for players to show up and practice with the team. Two players that aren’t showing up due to contract disputes are Steelers’ running back Le’Veon Bell and Chargers’ outside linebacker Melvin Ingram.

Both were placed on the franchise tag, meaning the team would have until July 15 to sign the player to a long-term deal. Bell and Ingram haven’t signed their respective tags, being the only two players in the league in that situation.

History shows that these disputes can last into training camp. According to Ian Rapoport, there’s a higher chance that Ingram misses an extended period of time.

Pittsburgh has a history of being a model franchise and taking care of its players. Bell’s a huge component to the offense — potentially, the best offensive player — and the Steelers sure won’t let him miss time for long. If he does play on the tag, it’ll be a one-year deal for around $12.1 million.

Bell was a stud for the Steelers last year, carrying the ball 261 times for 1,268 yards and seven touchdowns. Combine that with 75 catches out of the backfield for 616 yards and that’s a player that the Steelers need.

On the other hand, the Chargers have a history of being a frugal franchise. They let talks with Joey Bosa and Vincent Jackson extend far longer than they needed to. If no long-term deal is completed between Ingram and Los Angeles, the Chargers’ pass rusher will be on a one-year deal for $14.6 million.

Ingram’s quietly been one of the most effective pass rushers in the league, with 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons.

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One of the downsides of the NFL is the inability of players to actually test the free-agent market. If Bell and Ingram weren’t placed on the franchise tag, they wouldn’t received massive contracts by now. But under the restriction of the tag, let’s see how long it takes before they reach a long-term deals with their respective teams.