What Le’Veon Bell’s return means for the running back and the Steelers
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� When the Steelers host Kansas City next week they won无毛视频檛 have their full complement of offensive weapons 无毛视频� Ladarius Green is still out for some time 无毛视频� but they will have the biggest piece they无毛视频檝e been missing so far.
Le无毛视频橵eon Bell returns this week after serving his three-game suspension for violating the NFL无毛视频檚 substance abuse policy.
The return of Bell, arguably the best all-around running back in the league, is clearly welcome news for a Steelers team that is coming off a humbling 34-3 loss at Philadelphia. While the Steelers offense has done plenty of good things in Bell无毛视频檚 absence 无毛视频� save for Sunday无毛视频檚 dismal showing against the Eagles 无毛视频� they haven无毛视频檛 done them consistently. That should change with Bell back in the lineup.
无毛视频淚 am ready to move forward,无毛视频� Bell said Monday. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 a big week for me. I am excited to get back on the field. I am healthy. I am ready to move forward.无毛视频�
Times Steelers Writer Chris Bradford explains what Bell无毛视频檚 return means for the 2-1 Steelers:
AIR IT OUT
Bell is arguably the Steelers无毛视频� second-best receiver. His presence alone should open up the passing game for Ben Roethlisberger and move coverages away from Antonio Brown. The Steelers view Bell as a de facto receiver, often lining him up out wide or using him out of the backfield on screens and checkdowns.
Bell has averaged 4.3 receptions for 39.7 yards per game in his three-year career. Through three games, DeAngelo Williams无毛视频� 21 targets were second to only Brown无毛视频檚 40. By comparison, Jesse James had 16 targets, followed by Eli Rogers with 15 and Sammie Coates with 12. It无毛视频檚 safe to assume that Bell will be getting even more balls thrown his way.
无毛视频淚 want to take care of the football, make plays in situational downs, get in the end zone and help the offense move the ball and win games,无毛视频� Bell said.
WHERE THERE无毛视频橲 A D-WILL 无毛视频�
With respect to DeAngelo Williams, Bell is the Steelers无毛视频� best option at running back. But it无毛视频檚 hard to think the Steelers will get much more production from Bell, at least in terms of rushing yards, than they had been getting from Williams.
The 33-year-old can still be a valuable contributor, as if the past two seasons weren无毛视频檛 evidence enough of that. Williams is the NFL无毛视频檚 sixth-leading rusher this season with 258 yards (86 yards per game). You can无毛视频檛 just leave that kind of production on the bench.Todd Haley will have to find a way to incorporate Williams into the game plan in some fashion.
无毛视频淭here is always enough room,无毛视频� Bell said of Williams. 无毛视频淚 am going to let the coaches put us in situations. DeAngelo and myself are unselfish guys. We want to do whatever it takes for us to win a Super Bowl. That is the biggest goal.无毛视频�
FOLLOW THE MONEY
Before Bell无毛视频檚 latest suspension, there had been speculation that the Steelers would try to extend his contract this summer. Obviously, that never happened and Bell remains a pending free agent at season无毛视频檚 end.
The Steelers still have control over Bell if they choose to place the franchise tag on him next season. That amount for this season would have been $11.79 million. This season, Bell无毛视频檚 contract 无毛视频� the final year of his four-year rookie deal 无毛视频� carries a cap hit of $1.197 million, or a pittance of his worth on the open market.
Between his injury issues 无毛视频� he无毛视频檚 coming off major knee surgery and has yet to play in a postseason game 无毛视频� and his off-field problems, Bell is in an audition year. If he can stay healthy and avoid further league discipline, Bell will get paid big whether in Pittsburgh or elsewhere. Clearly, the Steelers are counting on a motivated Bell being a productive Bell.
无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 think about it,无毛视频� Bell said. 无毛视频淚 just want to get through the season and let that stuff handle itself.无毛视频�
RUSH无毛视频橬 ATTACK
With Minnesota无毛视频檚 Adrian Peterson on the shelf with a torn meniscus, the NFL无毛视频檚 rushing title is very much up for grabs. New England无毛视频檚 LeGarrette Blount is the current leader with 298 yards, followed by Dallas rookie Ezekiel Elliott and Cleveland无毛视频檚 Isaiah Crowell with 274 each. If Bell returns to his 2014 form, the rushing title is still within reach for him. Bell rushed for over 100 yards in eight games in 2014.
无毛视频淚 am a better player now than two years ago. I want to keep moving forward. I am a lot smarter. I look back on my second year film and think what was I doing on this play or that play? It无毛视频檚 just growth,无毛视频� Bell said. If you无毛视频檙e wondering, Bell ran for 121 yards on just 17 carries last year against Kansas City, the Steelers无毛视频� opponent on Sunday night.