The deadline for the Pittsburgh Steelers to sign All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell to a long-term contract is July 16, and all signs seem to point to a singular eventuality: Monday will come and go without a deal getting done, Bell will play 2018 on the franchise tag, and by the time 2019 rolls around, dat boi gone. Bell seems hellbent on obtaining a contract befitting a top-tier running back — in his defense, he totally is — and a top-tier secondary receiver. This would be unprecedented, record-setting and might precipitate serious discussions about how to aptly compensate running backs, a comparatively marginalized group that has been and currently is criminally underpaid.
The Le’Veon Bell contract saga has been turbulent for both the Steelers and their fans
