It appears the upcoming Le'Veon Bell contract discussions could face an added layer of drama this offseason.
The star running back reportedly skipped all but the last five minutes of the Pittsburgh Steelers' final walk-through before their home loss to the Jaguars in the divisional round, per Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
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Bouchette also noted that Bell, among others, repeatedly ignored head coach Mike Tomlin's rule that players and coaches report to the stadium no later than two hours before game time. Bell's tardiness and commitment will surely be talking points as the two sides begin negotiations.
Bell, who is coming off one of his best seasons as a pro with 1,946 scrimmage yards and 11 total touchdowns, is set to become a free agent after playing 2017 on the franchise tag, which netted him $12.1 million. He has been adamant about signing a long-term deal, and has threatened to sit out 2018 or even retire if the team places the tag on him again.
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Last offseason, Pittsburgh offered Bell a multi-year deal that would have reportedly paid him an average of more than $12 million per year; the next highest-paid backs are earning $8.5 million per year.
The franchise tag for running backs is set to go up to roughly $14.5 million this year. At that price, and with the drama that has surrounded Bell off the field, there is a possibility that the two sides will part ways, making one of the league's most dynamic playmakers a free agent in 2018.