LeVeon Bell won't be playing for Pittsburgh again. Neither, it seems certain, will Antonio Brown. As the end of their careers draws near, the only drama surrounds what kind of compensation the Steelers might get for two of their biggest stars. And what kind of face they might save.
This link has the update, and if you scroll down a little, there are chat transcripts with beat writers Ed Bouchette and Gerry Dulac. Some of the guesses contradict each other, so they all won't be right, but there's the most insight you'll get as to what actually might happen.
With Bell, it's hard to believe the team will use the transition tag, but apparently they're considering exactly that. The reasoning is that they'd have the right to match any offer, and could then trade him for compensation to the team that signs him to an offer sheet. Sounds great, except for that to happen, Bell and his agent would need to sign the transition tag tender, and the battle has been so acrimonious that there's little reason to think they'd do that to help Pittsburgh out. The Steelers would have their own cap compromised by the tender amount (after a legal dispute determines whether it's $9.5 or $14.5 million), and in a worst case scenario they'd get stuck with a big contract for a player they don't want. But hey, if all goes well they could get a mid-round draft pick this year!
If they don't use the tag, Bell signs elsewhere, and they get a good compensatory pick NEXT year. Seems like the smarter course of action, but what do I know.
Brown is due a $2.5 million roster bonus on March 17, so the media believes the Steelers will accept the best offer they can get before that date. Chump change in today's NFL, but Pittsburgh likely doesn't want to give Brown any more money at this point, and it would increase his cap hit by $2.5 million if they trade him after then, as well. Brown apparently wants to play for 49ers, although Pittsburgh might not care -- although Brown could refuse to report to a team that he doesn't want to play for. The chats are amusing for the fans who think the Steelers will get a 1st-rounder for Brown. The beat writers think a 3rd is possible.
Anyway, both players are all but gone. Within a month or so, we'll know exactly how much worse both sides will look when all is said and done.
--Andy Richardson