Le’Veon Bell absent from Steelers minicamp
By John McCarty
As voluntary workouts end and mandatory mini camps open, Steelers star running back Le’Von Bell is absent from Steelers facilities
As mandatory minicamp opened Tuesday, Le’Veon Bell’s absence is not unexpected. Having not yet signed the franchise tender the Steelers put on Bell at the start of the offseason, he is not considered to be under contract and thus not required to attend any team workouts.
As Kevin Pantra reported (as well as Ian Rapaport) on NFL.com, Bell is under no requirement to attend due to the contract not being signed. The deadline for the Steelers and Bell to come to a long-term agreement is July 15, so if a contract is signed, it likely will come together around that date.
If no agreement can be reached by the 15th, no long-term discussions or agreements can be done until after the upcoming season. Bell would play the 2017 campaign on the one-year franchise tender, set at $12 million.
Pittsburgh would really like to get Bell back in the fold as quickly as possible. With the return of Martavis Bryant from suspension, the Steelers offense could be formidable in the chase to unseat the Patriots as early Super Bowl favorites. When Bell left the AFC Championship game against the Patriots in the playoffs, the offense failed to establish any semblance of cohesion and momentum, and lost to the eventual champions 36-17.
Complicating negotiations are Bell’s past with suspensions. After serving a three-game suspension at the start of the 2016 season, there is a risk any further run in’s could result in an extended absence.
Currently, the backup to Bell is local product (University of Pittsburgh) and third-round pick James Conner. Last year’s backup, veteran DeAngelo Williams, does not appear currently to be in the teams plans going forward and in fact may retire.