ATL Week 10 - Dez torn Achilles

[rilamann]

One of the rare times the Thursday night game might be the best game of the week.

I am still debating if the Panthers should be considered in the mix with the Saints & Rams.

[midranger]

TJ Watt just forced a pick 6. Too bad we all just wanted him because he went to UW.

[rilamann]

It's hilarious to think that if Ted Thompson had listened to a majority of this board and drafted Watt, Ted would have hit one of his biggest home runs in the draft. Watt would have easily been his greatest defensive home run.

BTW Foster was my guy, but I would have been 100% ok with Watt and wanted no part of King.

[MickeyDavis]

Big Ben Holy ****

[El Duderino]

It's hilarious to think that if Ted Thompson had listened to a majority of this board and drafted Watt, Ted would have hit one of his biggest home runs in the draft. Watt would have easily been his greatest defensive home run.

BTW Foster was my guy, but I would have been 100% ok with Watt and wanted no part of King.

And an OLB pass rusher just might be the biggest need on the roster, especially a young one at that position.

[ReasonablySober]

Read on Twitter

Holy ****.

[MickeyDavis]

Read on Twitter

[trwi7]

I am still debating if the Panthers should be considered in the mix with the Saints & Rams.

Are you still debating this?

[jakecronus8]

yOu HoMeRz OnLy WaNtEd WaTt BeCaUsE hE pLaYeD aT WiScOnSiN!!!

[Mags FTW]

Sleep it off, Jake.

[humanrefutation]

Bell has reportedly decided not to report. He's sitting out the season.

He's making a huge bet on himself. He's taking a hell of a risk. I don't know if he'll get as big of a pay day as he's hoping for. But I get the decision on his part - why risk entering a locker room that's pissed at you; why risk getting hurt for $5M when you're shooting for a contract that'll give you so much more in guaranteed money.

[WeekapaugGroove]

Bell has reportedly decided not to report. He's sitting out the season.

He's making a huge bet on himself. He's taking a hell of a risk. I don't know if he'll get as big of a pay day as he's hoping for. But I get the decision on his part - why risk entering a locker room that's pissed at you; why risk getting hurt for $5M when you're shooting for a contract that'll give you so much more in guaranteed money.

I'm a little confused at the end game though since can't the Steelers just franchise him again? I guess maybe he thinks with Connor playing so well they won't bother.

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[humanrefutation]

Bell has reportedly decided not to report. He's sitting out the season.

He's making a huge bet on himself. He's taking a hell of a risk. I don't know if he'll get as big of a pay day as he's hoping for. But I get the decision on his part - why risk entering a locker room that's pissed at you; why risk getting hurt for $5M when you're shooting for a contract that'll give you so much more in guaranteed money.

I'm a little confused at the end game though since can't the Steelers just franchise him again? I guess maybe he thinks with Connor playing so well they won't bother.

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They could at a higher price tag, but that's regardless of whether he reported or not. If they do, he'll face the same situation next year.

I think I read online that they're planning to give him the transition tag next year, which would enable them to match any offer he's given. But that would at least let him negotiate a deal elsewhere.

[WeekapaugGroove]

Bell has reportedly decided not to report. He's sitting out the season.

He's making a huge bet on himself. He's taking a hell of a risk. I don't know if he'll get as big of a pay day as he's hoping for. But I get the decision on his part - why risk entering a locker room that's pissed at you; why risk getting hurt for $5M when you're shooting for a contract that'll give you so much more in guaranteed money.

I'm a little confused at the end game though since can't the Steelers just franchise him again? I guess maybe he thinks with Connor playing so well they won't bother.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

They could at a higher price tag, but that's regardless of whether he reported or not. If they do, he'll face the same situation next year.

I think I read online that they're planning to give him the transition tag next year, which would enable them to match any offer he's given. But that would at least let him negotiate a deal elsewhere.

Wouldn't it be the same tag price as this year since by not reporting this season doesn't count at all for Bell?

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

[humanrefutation]

I'm a little confused at the end game though since can't the Steelers just franchise him again? I guess maybe he thinks with Connor playing so well they won't bother.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

They could at a higher price tag, but that's regardless of whether he reported or not. If they do, he'll face the same situation next year.

I think I read online that they're planning to give him the transition tag next year, which would enable them to match any offer he's given. But that would at least let him negotiate a deal elsewhere.

Wouldn't it be the same tag price as this year since by not reporting this season doesn't count at all for Bell?

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

I don't think that's true. I saw it reported as well, but I believe ESPN retracted that report after they learned that this season still counts.

[Gianstoppable]

Looking back at the Bears game lead up thread its funny how I said the Bears will surprise and Mitch will take a step forward and people said Bears were the 4th best team in the division even after the Mack trade. *Cough RRYDER* Bears are legit. Hate working with so many ears fans but I actually like their team a lot

[Gianstoppable]

They could at a higher price tag, but that's regardless of whether he reported or not. If they do, he'll face the same situation next year.

I think I read online that they're planning to give him the transition tag next year, which would enable them to match any offer he's given. But that would at least let him negotiate a deal elsewhere.

Wouldn't it be the same tag price as this year since by not reporting this season doesn't count at all for Bell?

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

I don't think that's true. I saw it reported as well, but I believe ESPN retracted that report after they learned that this season still counts.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/leveon-bell-rumors-steelers-rb-agent-discovered-cba-loophole-allowing-him-not-to-play-in-2018/

Spoiler:

Under the NEW CBA however, he might be able to skate into free agency. If he doesn't play, according to the CBA, the Steelers "shall have the right to designate [Bell] as a Franchise Player or a Transition Player" in 2019. Typically speaking in a franchise tag situation, there would be 120 percent bump in the price of the tender. EXCEPT, if Bell is "redesignated as a Franchise Player for the League Year following the League Year in which he does not play, the player may be designated only under Section 2(a)(i) above."

What does "Section 2(a)(i)" consist of? It's the "Required Tender for Franchise Players" and it references "Subsection (b)" of that portion of the CBA.

That "Subsection (b)" makes very clear that Bell will be given a salary of one of three things, whichever is greatest.

Those three things are:

The "average of the five largest Prior Year Salaries for players at the position (within the categories set forth in Section 7(a) below) with the highest such average"
The 120% of the average of the five largest Prior Year Salaries for players at the position (within the categories set forth in Section 7(a) below) at which the player participated in the most plays during the prior League Year
The 144 percent of Bell's salary the year before
The first one is key there, because it basically means Bell's salary will be the equivalent to the quarterback franchise tag cost. That cost will be north of $25 million for the 2019 season.

In other words, Bell can just not sign his franchise tag at all, not play one snap during the 2018 NFL season and he can then be tagged by the Steelers in one of two ways.

Either with a franchise tag which will pay him more than $25 million next year, which is not a thing the Steelers are going to do because the cost is too prohibitive. Or the Steelers will give Bell the transition tag, which will effectively make him a free agent, because he'll be able to negotiate a deal with another team.

[rilamann]

I am still debating if the Panthers should be considered in the mix with the Saints & Rams.

Are you still debating this?

A win in Pittsburgh to move to 7-2 would have been big, but losing the way they did Thursday I would put them a notch below the Rams and Saints. The Panthers right now are basically the 2011-2016 Packers, good team that beats up on the bad and mediocre teams, but gets destroyed pretty much every time they play someone who doesn't suck.

[MickeyDavis]

Seattle playing the Rams tough

[WeekapaugGroove]

Wouldn't it be the same tag price as this year since by not reporting this season doesn't count at all for Bell?

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

I don't think that's true. I saw it reported as well, but I believe ESPN retracted that report after they learned that this season still counts.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/leveon-bell-rumors-steelers-rb-agent-discovered-cba-loophole-allowing-him-not-to-play-in-2018/

Spoiler:

Under the NEW CBA however, he might be able to skate into free agency. If he doesn't play, according to the CBA, the Steelers "shall have the right to designate [Bell] as a Franchise Player or a Transition Player" in 2019. Typically speaking in a franchise tag situation, there would be 120 percent bump in the price of the tender. EXCEPT, if Bell is "redesignated as a Franchise Player for the League Year following the League Year in which he does not play, the player may be designated only under Section 2(a)(i) above."

What does "Section 2(a)(i)" consist of? It's the "Required Tender for Franchise Players" and it references "Subsection (b)" of that portion of the CBA.

That "Subsection (b)" makes very clear that Bell will be given a salary of one of three things, whichever is greatest.

Those three things are:

The "average of the five largest Prior Year Salaries for players at the position (within the categories set forth in Section 7(a) below) with the highest such average"
The 120% of the average of the five largest Prior Year Salaries for players at the position (within the categories set forth in Section 7(a) below) at which the player participated in the most plays during the prior League Year
The 144 percent of Bell's salary the year before
The first one is key there, because it basically means Bell's salary will be the equivalent to the quarterback franchise tag cost. That cost will be north of $25 million for the 2019 season.

In other words, Bell can just not sign his franchise tag at all, not play one snap during the 2018 NFL season and he can then be tagged by the Steelers in one of two ways.

Either with a franchise tag which will pay him more than $25 million next year, which is not a thing the Steelers are going to do because the cost is too prohibitive. Or the Steelers will give Bell the transition tag, which will effectively make him a free agent, because he'll be able to negotiate a deal with another team.

Ahh I had no idea. Makes sense to not come back at this point. I think this ordeal costs him overall but I guess he could have tore an achilles this year or something and this ends up saving him a bunch of cash.

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