PITTSBURGH (AP) — Le'Veon Bell keeps saying he wants to stay with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers keep saying they want to keep one of the NFL's best running backs in the fold for years to come.
They have until July 16 to make it happen.
The Steelers placed the exclusive rights franchise tag on the two-time All-Pro for a second straight spring on Tuesday,
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Bell,
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Bell is scheduled to make $14.54 million in 2018 if he signs the franchise tender and the two sides are unable to reach an agreement on a new deal. He skipped offseason workouts and training camp last summer before signing the tender on the eve of the regular season. The absence led to a sluggish start,
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The 25-year-old made the 2017 All-Pro team at the "flex" position,
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Bell turned down a long-term deal with the Steelers last summer and told ESPN in January he would consider retiring if the Steelers used the franchise tag on him again. He backtracked a bit during the Pro Bowl when he said he believed a new contract was in the works. It was a sentiment echoed by both Steelers president Art Rooney II and general manager Kevin Colbert early in the offseason.
Pittsburgh's depth behind Bell is thin. James Conner carried the ball 32 times during his rookie season and the club signed Stevan Ridley at the end of the regular season as insurance. Bell tweeted Monday that regardless of the circumstances he wants to remain with the Steelers.
"Pittsburgh: the city that took in a 21-year old kid from small-town Ohio,
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