Kevin Colbert might want to take another run at signing Le'Veon Bell at the end of the calendar year, but the reality is that Bell is likely playing his final season with the Steelers.
After all, why would Bell go through two very public failed contract negotiations just to sign a new deal before he actually gets to test free agency? And the Steelers are unlikely to budge from their final offer, which is reported to have been for $70 million over five years.
That averages out to $14 million per season. And while some fans have said they wouldn't pay that much money for a running back, the Steelers obviously disagreed. After all, they're now on the hook to pay Bell $14.5 million in 2018 -- when he finally reports and signs his franchise contract offer.
What does all of this mean for the Steelers now? Well, nothing, at least not this season.
They will go into 2018 with Bell as their running back. They'll figure out some kind of rotation behind him between James Conner, Stevan Ridley and Jaylen Samuels. And then they'll figure out who their lead runner is for 2019 in 2019.
What they won't do are a couple of things some fans seem to want: A. Release Bell or B. Trade Bell.
In terms of releasing him, why would they? He already counts $14.5 million against their salary cap. That is money that is already on the books. And they don't have a running back capable of doing the things he does on their roster.
As for a trade, that's not happening either. As Colbert said, the Steelers are built for 2018 to include Bell on their roster.
"We are excited he will be with the team in 2018," Colbert said.
In regard to Bell's availability this season, the idea was floated early in the day Monday -- likely by his agent to some national outlets -- that the running back might sit out some games. But that was nothing more than a negotiating ploy, a last-ditch effort to try to get the Steelers to up their offer. He's not likely to skip out on his payments of $906,000 per game.
Bell as much as admitted that with his tweets later in the day.
"I’m sorry we let youu (sic) down but trust me, 2018 will be my best season to date," he offered on social media.
If that happens, the Steelers will be very happy. Bell already holds the team record for total yards in a season with the 2,215 he had in 2014. But he's also posted 1,907 and 1,946 in the past two seasons.
Another season of 2,000 total yards would seem to be what everyone can expect. That would put Bell in line to become the fifth player in team history to record 10,000 yards from scrimmage, joining Franco Harris, Jerome Bettis, Hines Ward and Antonio Brown.
Bell currently has 7,996 career yards in just five seasons, an average of 129 per game, the highest per-game average in league history.
The big question for the Steelers after this season will be how they replace that kind of production. Quite frankly, they won't, at least not with a player of equal talent.
Including Bell, the team has selected nine running backs in the first through third rounds since taking Harris 13th overall in 1972. The others were Greg Hawthorne, Walter Abercrombie, Tim Worley, Rashard Mendenhall, Dri Archer, Jon Witman, Bam Morris and Amos Zereoue. That group has five combined 1,000-yard seasons, with Bell accounting for three of those and Mendenhall the other two.
Finding a replacement might not be quite as easy as many seem to think.
For example, there were 25 running backs selected in 2013, including Bell. Those running backs have a combined six 1,000-yard seasons, with Bell accounting for three, Eddie Lacy two and Latavius Murray the other. There were 20 running backs selected in the 2014 draft. They have combined for two 1,000-yard rushing seasons, both by Devonta Freeman.
As for free agency, there are some possibilities, with Freeman's backup, Tevin Coleman being the most interesting of the group. But that would mean the Steelers would need to be active on the free agent market, something they have not typically done.
But the Steelers will worry about 2019 in 2019. The idea is to put the best team on the field they can in 2018. And that will include Bell.