Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell has decided when he’ll sign his franchise tender and show up to work: During the bye week.
That’s the word from Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, who reports that Bell will report in Week Seven, when the Steelers are on their bye, and that Bell plans to play for the Steelers after that.
Each week that Bell stays away, he’s losing his weekly salary of $855,000. That includes the bye week, so it makes sense for Bell to report during the bye week and make the $855,000 without having to subject himself to any hits on the field.
So Bell will take two more weeks off, then come back after the Steelers’ sixth game and play the final 10 games of the season -- if things go according to Bell’s plan.
It’s possible that everything won’t go according to Bell’s plan, especially if the Steelers get a good offer from some team looking to trade for Bell. But for now, it looks like Bell will play the Steelers’ final 10 games.