Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, Le’Veon Bell must sign his franchise tender or sign a one-year deal with the team ahead of the Nov. 13th deadline in order to retain his eligibility for this season.
But what comes next for the running back in 2019 regardless of whether he signs the tag or chooses not to play in 2018?
The Steelers could franchise tag Bell for a third time in 2019, but he would be tagged at the quarterback salary number, not the lower number he was tagged at this year, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Even if Bell sits out the entire season, the third tag number doesn’t change … which means there’s virtually no chance the #Steelers would do that. Transition tag a possibility, and the calculation of it could trigger a dispute. https://t.co/3PEDO1h3fr
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 7, 2018
“My understanding is the NFL management council and the NFL Players’ Association, the parties that negotiated the collective bargaining agreement, are on the same page that if Bell were tagged a third time, whether he shows up this season, whether he sits out the entire year, that tag would be at the higher quarterback number, not the lower number similar to what he would be due under the franchise tag this year,” Pelissero said on NFL Up To the Minute on Tuesday. “It would be extremely unlikely for the Steelers to put that higher third franchise tag on Le’Veon Bell. That would set up a scenario where they’d tag him a third time, the number is upwards of $25 million and Bell, if he wanted to, could walk in the day he’s tagged, sign it and be owed $25 million for one season.”
In addition, the Steelers and the NFL don’t plan to argue that his 2018 tag should carry over next year
“I’ve been told by both league and team sources that neither the NFL nor the Steelers have any plan to argue that the second tag should carry over, should Le’Veon Bell not play this year,” NFL Network’s Aditi Kinkhabwala reported. “They are all in agreement that any potential tag would be the third (or the transition).”
Let's please dispense of this idea that Le'Veon Bell could be tagged at the same number twice. Once Bell was tendered this year, he was tendered a franchise tag a second time. Whether he signs that tender, or plays under that tender, is completely irrelevant.
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) November 6, 2018
We haven't talked much about the credited season Le'Veon Bell loses if he doesn't play at all this year. He needs three games at full pay for a credited season; total credited seasons affect benefits: pension, healthcare reimbursement plan, annuity plan, 401(k), etc.
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) November 6, 2018
It remains to be seen if the Steelers would pursue a transition tag on Bell in 2019. All of his is just ridiculous, let the man go play football somewhere else.
