Time to move on from Bell next season.

After all that light reading I will simply say to the original idea of this post is that NO we DO NOT need to move on from Bell next season.

ImperialFan wrote:

I know nobody wants to hear it.

It's been a great 2 and a half years with Bell but from what I'm hearing around the internet his knee is destroyed. His Acl wasnt torn but there is other damage besides from the severely torn MCL. Who is going to feel safe running him back out there next season when weve seen what happens to runningbacks that destroy their knee? (see marcus lattimore)

Those were basically my first thoughts when I saw the play that caused the injury and then heard "severely torn" later on.

If he rehabs enough to actually play again, I wonder how effective he'll be.

Even if he overcomes the inevitable fear of having it happen again (which could take many games in itself) I'd still wonder about how much speed or quickness he may have lost and if he'd ever be able to get it back. I certainly wouldn't write him off entirely, but if I were in charge, I'd be crazy not to start shopping for the future.

It's a shame but it is what it is.

Although for us it is (or at least hopefully is) only a game and diversion from more important matters, for players and management it is their livelihood.

This photo of Bell was hard to see



Given the swings and misses the Steelers have made on big $$ contract extensions (Woodley, Cortez Allen and, hate to say it, the last extension for Saint Troy), there are some serious $$ in play this offseason

The timing of the injury couldn't be worse for the Steelers or Bell....

Bell will be entering the final year of his rookie contract next year and with the Steelers typically extending deals with one year left, Bell was in line for a hefty pay raise during the offseason.

Bell is currently in the third year of his rookie contract that pays him an average of just over a $1 million a season. The top five running backs currently earn between $8-$14 million per season, but all five are between the ages of 27 and 30.

Bell will turn 24 on Feb. 18.

http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/9366062-74/bell-steelers-season#ixzz3qNd7TST1

SteelersYak wrote:

After all that light reading I will simply say to the original idea of this post is that NO we DO NOT need to move on from Bell next season.

I Hope hes the same old Bell but you know what, we're not going to know until we see him on the field. He has a long way to come. Like I've said several times the title of this thread was more of prepare for the worst hope for the best pitch from me. I didn't seriously mean we need to replace bell, but if he comes out slower, and cant makes those cuts, boy thats going to bring his value down a lot. hey though we just wont know until next season.

I was so Glad when we got Bell. I hated Mendenhall, Parker was no prize either. Bell is special Him and Ben are my heros its so depressing to see them having their season ruined by injuries.

I think chances are he will come back the same player next season This thread was made to stir things up and I succeeded, but I didnt do it just to argue with people I think a good serious debate is healthy. Bell has had at least one significant injury every year, and this one was really bad. I'm not going to say hes "injury prone" but what good is having the best back in the NFL if hes going to be on the bench every season. Some players just get hurt a lot, bad luck, name your poison, but it happens, it happens to a LOT of running backs, thats why they have such short careers. I mean if a back makes it 8-10 years in the league, thats an accomplishment. Remember when Chris Johnson exploded on the scene, he wore down quick, had a couple good years and now hes not what he used to be, Barry Sanders retired young, lots of promising young backs do. Its not a knock on bell to ask this question at this point.

I dont advocate moving on from bell, that title was for attention I wanted a serious conversation about it and I think I might have opened some peoples eyes that its something we might wanna start thinking about. What if he comes back next year, runs for 450 yards in 3 games then misses the next 7 because of a freak accident. What about then? Do we bring him out again the next year as our work horse? These are just some scenarios that go through my head. I wish the best for the kid I just dont wanna see him turn into one of those "man if he could have just stayed healthy" guys. Happens a lot to RBs sad but true.

I couldn't get through even half of the posts in this thread.  

I'll add this:  

Dafuq???  


.

teegre wrote:

I couldn't get through even half of the posts in this thread.  

I'll add this:  

Dafuq???  


.

Oh me and atlanta dan got into it, mods got involved we hugged and made up

ImperialFan wrote:

These are just some scenarios that go through my head.

IMO, you are a Steelers pessimist whereas I'm a Steelers optimist. You are thinking about what if he comes back and is a total bust or another injury happens (which it's the NFL; injuries can happen at any time at no fault of the injured player). I am thinking about what a great story it would be for him to come back after missing the playoff game 2 years prior, most of the year the previous season, and he comes back and absolutely dominates.

Who knows, maybe this injury will help him get a higher top speed....

We don't know what condition or level of ability Bell will return in. It sucks for him. It sucks for the team, and it sucks for us, the fans. But let's not overreact to anything that just happened 10 seconds ago in the timeframe of a rehab. It's a long process.

I hope everyone understands how good Bell is. Many just look at his physical skills, but what really makes him so special is his football intelligence and his versatility.... and his intangibles are off the charts. His ability to literally do everything well will serve him well when he returns.

90% of Le'Veon Bell is better than 90% of the running backs in the NFL. Unless this injury robs him of a large percentage of his abilities, he is still going to be at the very least a very good running back.

He is currently a bargain from a financial standpoint, and if the team doctors and the organization feel confident about the healing process, they may be able to sign Bell to a contract that will make both sides happy and cap friendly. It sucks for Bell, because this has happened to him going into his last rookie contract year. I wish it didn't happen to him because you never want to see a young man lose out on the chance to sign the biggest contract of his career and set him up for life. However, the reality is that his future is uncertain.

For those of you that feel the Steelers should move on from Bell, I hope you understand what this guy means to this team. He has become the heartbeat of this team. He is looked at as the most talented guy on this team, and the player that energizes everyone. The team visibly deflates when he's not on the field.

They need to resign him.....period.

He may not be full strength at the start of next season. He may not have the greatest year to make other teams throw boatloads of cash at him. But he is exactly what this team needs from a leadership standpoint.

I believe in my heart that he will still be a great player for a long time. His skillset is unmatched in the NFL at the running back position. Give him some time, sign him to a multiyear deal, and he will return to greatness.

Moving on from Bell would almost signify a huge step back for this team. He's that important to this team. They need another reliable backup whether they draft one or sign one, but I think it's imperative that he stays in Pittsburgh long term.