GM: Steelers won’t use tag on running back Bell

8:02 am | February 20, 2019 | Go to Source | Author:

Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said Wednesday that the team will not use the transition tag on running back Le’Veon Bell.

“Le’Veon is still a great player,” he said. “We can’t afford to use any other type of tags. Le’Veon will be an unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league year.”

After Bell held out for the entire season over his contract, there was a battle brewing between the NFL and and NFL Players Association over the value of a transition tag on Bell. Bell and the NFLPA will argue that the transition tag is close to $14.5 million based on the escalating value of tags, and the Steelers and the NFL will say it’s closer to $9.5 million because Bell sat out.

Bell, who turns 27 later this month, declined to sign his franchise tender last year, leaving $14.5 million on the table.

Colbert also said that the Steelers will not offer a discount in a trade to get rid of disgruntled wide receiver Antonio Brown. The GM said that no relationship is irreparable, so if the team can’t find good value for him, keeping Brown might be an option.

“We’re all disappointed we’re at this point. How things transpired, we’re all disappointed,” Colbert said. “Respectfully, we did agree to look into a trade would probably be the best course of action for both sides. …. By no means are we going to make a trade or any type of move that will not be beneficial to the Pittsburgh Steelers organization. We will not be discounting you on the trade market and we will not release you.”