Le'Veon Bell will likely skip Pittsburgh Steelers' training camp once again.
Bell's agent, Adisa Bakari, confirmed on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Tuesday the running back plans to follow the same routine he employed last season while playing on the franchise tag: skip training camp and report before Week 1 to sign his franchise tender.
"Le'Veon understood the entire time what was at stake and what some of the key factors were and consummating an agreement with the Steelers," Bakari said on ESPN on Tuesday. "He is going to approach this offseason the way he always has. ... He's going to be ready for the start of the season. ... If history is any indicator there is no reason to doubt that."
Bell and the Steelers were unable to come to terms on a multi-year deal before Monday's deadline for franchise players to ink a long-term solution. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported the running back turned down a five-year offer worth $70 million, with more than $30 million over two seasons. Bell will play on a one-year $14.5 million franchise tender in 2018.
Rapoport provided more details about the offer on Tuesday:
Since sides were unable to come to an agreement Monday, speculation about how Bell would handle the offseason began.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero noted that it was the team's expectation that without a new deal Bell would skip training camp. Bakari, however, said that the decision to sit out until the season starts isn't rooted in Bell's contract status.
It's not a strategy, it's not a ploy to pressure anyone," Bakari said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "It's quite frankly a way to preserve the body."
In 2017, Bell reported on Sept. 1. He finished with 1,291 rushing yards on 321 carries and 85 receptions for 655 yards with 11 total touchdowns in 15 games last season. It took several tilts for Bell to get up to speed, however, after skipping all of training camp -- rushing 52 times for 180 total yards and one TD in the first three weeks combined.
In a tweet on Monday, Bell promised 2018 would be his "best season to date." He'll have to start quicker than last season to prove that statement true.
