Will the Pittsburgh Steelers be able to trade running back LeVeon Bell prior to this year’s deadline to do so and would he even allow himself to be traded? Those are questions that are really tough to give definitive answers to as Week 4 continues on Sunday but Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network now claims to know more about the Steelers efforts to trade Bell.
“The story came out last week and by now we all know the Steelers are at the very least listening to offers when teams call and they have called about potentially trading for Le’Veon Bell,” Rapoport reported Sunday morning. “The Steelers have listened. I can now tell you the Steelers are actually the ones making the calls. They’re are now actively shopping Pro Bowl running back Le’Veon Bell and of course they have set a price that has been too high at this point for other teams and obviously because otherwise a trade would be done.”
So, what are the Steelers looking to get in return for Bell, Rapoport believes he knows the answer to that question.
“From what I am told it has been at least a second round pick and a good player, which is a lot for a player that first of all, who would be a one year rental,” Rapoport says. “Who would make, at this point, still more than $10 million and teams are not even allowed to negotiate with Bell on a long-term deal until after the season. That is one reason why a trade would at least be pretty difficult.”
Personally, I will be shocked if the Steelers are able to trade Bell and even more shocked if they get a pick and a player in return for the All-Pro running back. The fact that Bell could essentially be a half-season or less rental for whatever team that would ultimately acquire him makes dealing him that much more tougher.
Remember, Bell must first sign his franchise tag tender before he can be traded to another team. Additionally, if and when he finally does report to do just that, it might not be until right before the Week 11 deadline for him to do so in order to play this season.
