Le’Veon Bell told the NFL Network he is optimistic that he will get a long-term contract done with the Steelers and presumably on or very close to his terms. That means there is at least one person on the planet who believes a contract will get done before the July 16th deadline.
That’s wonderful but here is the real trick — find a second person on the planet who believes what Bell is trying to sell. The only way a long-term deal is going to get done is if Bell blinks first and he has made it very clear he isn’t.