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Steelers GM on Le’Veon Bell: We don’t like talking about franchise tag

Le'Veon Bell

The contract standoff between Le’Veon Bell and the Pittsburgh Steelers is a marquee story of the offseason, but the two sides haven’t made much progress to date.

While speaking at the NFL Scouting Combine, general manager Kevin Colbert said there have been negotiations. Bob Labriola of the team’s official site notes Colbert is hoping for a long-term deal but must keep the franchise tag at Pittsburgh’s disposal.

“We never like talking about the tag, because that’s nobody’s goal. That’s not their goal, and that’s not our goal. But we’ll never say the tag is not (in play), because that’s a collectively-bargained item that if need be it’ll be put into use. But that’s nobody’s goal in this process.”

This is a challenging position for Bell, who is an absolute workhorse. He deserves big, long-term money, yet the Steelers want to avoid a massive contract with a battered player in a few years.

So, all Bell can do is continue performing at an elite level, thereby proving his worth while simultaneously moving a little bit closer to retirement. Last season, he handled an NFL-high 406 touches and posted 1,946 yards from scrimmage.

Both sides know Bell deserves a raise. However, he’s rightfully concerned with long-term stability. Until his side and the Steelers can find an adequate compromise, the standoff will linger.

But if it’s never resolved, Pittsburgh will slap the tag on Bell again.

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