Le'Veon Bell just received a 1,200 percent raise in pay to play at least one more season with the Steelers.
The team used the exclusive franchise tag on its star halfback, two days before the deadline to do so, virtually guaranteeing he will play for them at least through next season.
Bell earned just under $1 million in salary last season with a cap number of $1.13 million. Under the franchise tag, he will receive a straight salary that is projected to be just over $12 million and his charge against the team's salary cap will equal that. The precise amount won't be determined until the NFL and its players union release the salary cap for 2017.
Because it's the Steelers' exclusive tag, there's no way Bell could sign with another team for the 2017 season.
The $12 million salary becomes guaranteed once Bell signs the contract, but the two sides still have until July 15 to come to terms on a multi-year deal, something the Steelers have done in the past, e.g., LaMarr Woodley.
Free agency begins at 4 p.m. on March 9.
Bell set the Steelers' post-season rushing record twice last season, running for 167 yards in their first playoff game against Miami and then breaking that with 170 yards the following week in Kansas City.
He left the AFC championship game early in New England with a groin injury after just six carries.
It was the third straight year in which Bell either did not participate or did not finish the postseason because of an injury.
He rushed for 1,268 yards (4.9 average) and caught 75 passes for another 616 yards last season. He became the only player in NFL history to average 100 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards per game in the 2016 season.
"Le'Veon had a great year," Steelers president Art Rooney said recently. "He certainly is one of the top running backs in the league, if not the best back in the league. He is somebody that we hope to have around for a little while longer, that's for sure."
He played in 12 games after serving a three-game suspension for violating the NFL's drug policy. Coach Mike Tomlin rested him and others in the meaningless regular-season finale against Cleveland.
Bell has missed time because of injuries in each of his four seasons. He also missed time to open each of the past two seasons because of suspensions after he failed and/or missed drug tests.
Rooney and general manager Kevin Colbert said the team has no qualms about his durability or his reliability.
"Unfortunately, running backs get injured a little more than other positions due to the nature of the position," Colbert said. "We have no reservations about Le'Veon. Not his durability or his ability. He's grown, I think, tremendously off the field. And I think, I hope, he continues to grow in those areas. But there's no hesitation to having him be with us, hopefully, for his whole career."
Said Rooney, "I wouldn't say that we have a big concern about Le'Veon's physical abilities or stability. He is a strong, young player. I think he will keep getting better."
Last season, Bell touched the ball 405 times, including playoffs _ 326 runs, 79 receptions _ the most of his career. His previous high was 2014 when he had 373 combined touches.
Bell's groin injury also is the subject of an NFL investigation as to why Tomlin never listed him with an injury on the team's injury report. He missed several practices, but the reason was given as non-injury related. Bell later said his groin was injured in the first playoff game vs. Miami and that it bothered him before the next game in Kansas City.
