A few days before training camp, Antonio Brown is stressing the importance of Le'Veon Bell, who will play this season on a franchise tag of $12.12 million after Bell and the Steelers couldn't reach an extension by the July 17 deadline.
Antonio Brown was all-time QB at his football camp. After an incompletion, Brown turned to the no-huddle.
Antonio Brown stutter-steps a camper, then gets mobbed for a pile-up session.
From his football camp, Antonio Brown said he talked with Le'Veon Bell for a few hours this week. "We need him," he said. "I need him."
The Steelers linebacker tried to push a sled with 39 plates -- that's 1,755 pounds, plus the weight of the sled -- and, yes, he moved it.
Many Steelers used social media to pay tribute to Dan Rooney, whose 85th birthday was Thursday. Rooney, one of the most respected owners in NFL history, died on April 13. Antonio Brown posted a picture of himself with Rooney and wished him a happy birthday.
Le'Veon Bell says the fact his value as a player comes from receiving and rushing helps explain why the RB will be playing under the Steelers' $12M franchise tag in 2017 instead of a long-term deal.
With Le'Veon Bell under the franchise tag, the Steelers' spotlight shifts to left tackle Alejandro Villanueva, who doesn't have to report to camp since he's not under contract (hasn't signed his exclusive rights tag). There's been minimal movement on a new deal but things could heat up closer to July 27. Neither side wants Villanueva to miss significant time.
Steelers rookie James Conner, who has been an inspiration for overcoming cancer while at Pitt, is No. 2 in jersey sales in the NFL behind Tom Brady.
Steelers RB James Conner has the top-selling jersey among rookies and the third-best among all NFL players, according to Dick's Sporting Goods jersey report. The third-round pick and cancer survivor is expected to backup Le'Veon Bell this year. Antonio Brown (No. 9) and Bell (No. 19) round up the top 20, and T.J. Watt (No. 32) is fifth among rookies.
With Le'Veon Bell's franchise tag of $12.1 million this year and around $14.5 million next year should the Steelers use it, Bell's baseline for guaranteed money in a new deal is just below $27 million, or the total of the two tags. That was the reference point in these failed negotiations with Pittsburgh, and it will be pertinent six months from now when both sides can revisit the contract.
Of the biggest active wideout contracts, Brown's deal appears to be among the most likely to work out.
A look at five teams that could be interested in Le'Veon Bell if he becomes a free agent in 2018.
Le'Veon Bell has said that he's fine playing under the franchise tag as he and the Steelers couldn't get a long-term deal done by Monday's deadline.
Le'Veon Bell, who will play on the franchise tag after failing to reach a long-term deal win the Steelers, said he's not sure when he'll report for training camp, which begins July 27. Bell hasn't signed his $12.1-million franchise tender and thus can't get fined for not reporting. "The way I train, all it's going to take for me is a few practices and some game action," Bell said. "I haven't thought about it that far. I'm game-planning today."
| RD(PK) | PLAYER | POS | SCHOOL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1(30) | T.J. Watt | OLB | Wisconsin |
| 2(30) | JuJu Smith-Schuster | WR | USC |
| 3(30) | Cam Sutton | CB | Tennessee |
| 3(41) | James Conner | RB | Pittsburgh |
| 4(29) | Joshua Dobbs | QB | Tennessee |
| 5(30) | Brian Allen | CB | Utah |
| 6(30) | Colin Holba | LS | Louisville |
| 7(30) | Keion Adams | DE | Western Michigan |
| TEAM | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 399 | 327 |
| Baltimore | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 343 | 321 |
| Cincinnati | 6 | 9 | 1 | .406 | 325 | 315 |
| Cleveland | 1 | 15 | 0 | .063 | 264 | 452 |
| NAME | POS | TYPE | PREV. TEAM |
|---|---|---|---|
| I. Abdul-Quddus | S | UFA | DET |
| S. Acho | LB | UFA | CHI |
| J. Adams | OT | UFA | HOU |
| J. Addae | S | RFA | SD |
| D. Aiken | LS | UFA | NYG |
