Help me understand the Leveon situation

[Sean Miller Fan]

Correct me if I'm wrong here as I really am not follow this.

He thinks he has $45 million guaranteed coming his way for the 19-20 season so he doesn’t want to play for $15 million this year and risk an injury and the $45 million payday. Am I way off?

 

[upj87]

Correct me if I'm wrong here as I really am not follow this.

He thinks he has $45 million guaranteed coming his way for the 19-20 season so he doesn’t want to play for $15 million this year and risk an injury and the $45 million payday. Am I way off?

sounds about right...

although one would think he could take out a 45 mil insurance policy for a year for 2 million and still been 13 million ahead of the game...

 

[pittiswhereiamfrom2]

Who will give it to him?

Is this the Jets? Houston? Raiders?

 

[pittbb80]

Explanation

Don’t waste your time trying to understand stupidity and arrogance

But you are correct. He’s 15 mill in the hole

To break even he need GUARANTEED money for the 19 ad 20 season that equals 45 mill

So someone has to front load a contract worth 45 in the first two years and then guarantee him another year at 15.

Owners are dumb but the chances of someone spending that much money and taking up that much cap space are slim and none and slim is on his way out of town.

I’ll be the first one to congratulate him and admit I didn’t know what I was talking about but I like my chances of not having to do that

His agent said he may retire. Lol

 

[FurioGiunta]

Who will give it to him?

Is this the Jets? Houston? Raiders?

Anyone with cap space that doesn’t want to invest a high draft pick into a RB. I can’t figure out for the life of me why you’d take a Saquon Barkley with the 2nd overall pick. His last 3 games have been for 43,38,67 yards rushing. I get that he’s athletic as hell and can jump through the roof, that doesn’t make him a productive NFL back.

Conner- 771 yards 10 TD’s
Barkley- 586 yards 5 TD’s

 

[Burgh15]

Bell was offered $70 over 5 years by the Steelers. Although there was less guaranteed money compared to what others may offer, the Steelers also tend to pay their star players most if not all of the contract. If nothing else, they constantly push more money up front when they restructure the deal. I can see if Bell signs a big deal, he'll get his up front money but his new team could very well cut him with his backloaded base salaries as he gets into the fourth or fifth year of a deal. At that point, he will find a job but won't command top dollar anymore. On top of that, there is no way he can recover the $14.5 million he lost this year.

 

[wbrpanther]

Correct me if I'm wrong here as I really am not follow this.

He thinks he has $45 million guaranteed coming his way for the 19-20 season so he doesn’t want to play for $15 million this year and risk an injury and the $45 million payday. Am I way off?

LeVeon was offered a contract worth an average of 14 million a year for 5 years. He said he was worth 17 million per year with 45 million guaranteed. It’s his right to hold out for that kind of money. It is also the Steeler’s right to tell him to go pound sand.

So Bell thinks that by not reporting at all and losing 14 million dollars is a strategy that will net him a much bigger contract next year on the open market. I guess there is a team out there willing and able to give him that kind of money. But you can bet that team doesn’t have a lot of talent or they wouldn’t be able to fit him under the cap.

Just wait till you see that Leveon shuffle at the line is scrimmage waiting for a hole to open that never does

 

[pitt-girl]

Bell and his agent found a loophole and exercised it. As @wbrpanther said, what he and the Steeler's did were within their rights.

He's gone and frankly I could care less what happens to him. However he's got a bunch of RB's who idolize this move. It certainly will change many teams strategies going forward. Good Luck and Good Riddance.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

He's a year older, walked away from $14.5 million, and looks like a selfish dope. He gained nothing but publicity about how stupid he is.

Now I really want to see the Steelers win the Super Bowl with James Conner winning MVP. Wouldn't that be something!

 

[Pittx9]

Now I really want to see the Steelers win the Super Bowl with James Conner winning MVP. Wouldn't that be something!

And then give him the deal bell turned down, maybe plus an extra guaranteed mill or so.

 

[McKee Place]

LeVeon was offered a contract worth an average of 14 million a year for 5 years. He said he was worth 17 million per year with 45 million guaranteed. It’s his right to hold out for that kind of money. It is also the Steeler’s right to tell him to go pound sand.

So Bell thinks that by not reporting at all and losing 14 million dollars is a strategy that will net him a much bigger contract next year on the open market. I guess there is a team out there willing and able to give him that kind of money. But you can bet that team doesn’t have a lot of talent or they wouldn’t be able to fit him under the cap.

Just wait till you see that Leveon shuffle at the line is scrimmage waiting for a hole to open that never does

A lot of folks seem to not realize what "guaranteed money" means. Or believe Bell is a mainstream athlete that is at least somewhat driven by success on the field.

By gleefully giving up a legit chance to be on a SB contender, he appears to have made his priorities clear: He couldn't care less if the team already stinks, or ends up stinking for signing him (by strapping them to sign others). He gets HIS sh*tload of guaranteed money, and he won't care a lick if the rest of the team are FAs from Rutgers.

Let me be clear it's not what I might have done... but it isn't the dumbest move a pro athlete ever made

 

[wbrpanther]

A lot of folks seem to not realize what "guaranteed money" means. Or believe Bell is a mainstream athlete that is at least somewhat driven by success on the field.

By gleefully giving up a legit chance to be on a SB contender, he appears to have made his priorities clear: He couldn't care less if the team already stinks, or ends up stinking for signing him (by strapping them to sign others). He gets HIS sh*tload of guaranteed money, and he won't care a lick if the rest of the team are FAs from Rutgers.

Let me be clear it's not what I might have done... but it isn't the dumbest move a pro athlete ever made

His big gamble is passing on a very fair and lucrative contact betting on himself to be able to make way more. There is a great chance he is overvaluing himself. The Steelers didn’t ask him to play for 9 bucks an hour.

 

[Joe Magarac]

Correct me if I'm wrong here as I really am not follow this.

He thinks he has $45 million guaranteed coming his way for the 19-20 season so he doesn’t want to play for $15 million this year and risk an injury and the $45 million payday. Am I way off?

Why spend brain cells thinking about something that wasn't here, is not here and won't be here?????
The local media will have the airwaves buzzing for the next 6 months so the brain dead yinzers can boost the ratings of the local broadcast and print media jackels.
As Ilsa sang:
Let it go.
Let it go........

 

[Burgh15]

He gets HIS sh*tload of guaranteed money, and he won't care a lick if the rest of the team are FAs from Rutgers.

Let me be clear it's not what I might have done... but it isn't the dumbest move a pro athlete ever made

Not the dumbest, but not the smartest either. Gurley's actual signing bonus was just over $21 million, right in line with what the Steelers were offering.

 

[Burgh15]

Bell and his agent found a loophole and exercised it. As @wbrpanther said, what he and the Steeler's did were within their rights.

Not a loophole and something that many who have followed this story knew over the summer.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

Bell was offered $70 over 5 years by the Steelers. Although there was less guaranteed money compared to what others may offer, the Steelers also tend to pay their star players most if not all of the contract. If nothing else, they constantly push more money up front when they restructure the deal. I can see if Bell signs a big deal, he'll get his up front money but his new team could very well cut him with his backloaded base salaries as he gets into the fourth or fifth year of a deal. At that point, he will find a job but won't command top dollar anymore. On top of that, there is no way he can recover the $14.5 million he lost this year.

That was good information.
Explain this please.
What does Guaranteed Money mean?
For example:
he gets injured = Pay the man?
he plays poorly no specific reason= Pay the man?
he gets out of shape and plays poorly = Pay the man?
he fails his drug test = Don't pay the man?
he gets arrested = Don't pay the man?
he doesn't show up for the training camp team reporting date= Don't pay the man

What type of event would cancel out the guarantee?

Thanks!

"it's five o'clock somewhere"
Signed: Mr Buffett
Go PITT & CSU Rams!

 

[Burgh15]

That was good information.
Explain this please.
What does Guaranteed Money mean?
For example:
he gets injured = Pay the man?
he plays poorly no specific reason= Pay the man?
he gets out of shape and plays poorly = Pay the man?
he fails his drug test = Don't pay the man?
he gets arrested = Don't pay the man?
he doesn't show up for the training camp team reporting date= Don't pay the man

What type of event would cancel out the guarantee?

A signing bonus is fully guaranteed and paid out when a player signs.
A salary is not guaranteed.
Roster bonuses are typically paid out near the start of the new league year. If a team doesn't want to pay it, they'll release them into free agency.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Correct me if I'm wrong here as I really am not follow this.

He thinks he has $45 million guaranteed coming his way for the 19-20 season so he doesn’t want to play for $15 million this year and risk an injury and the $45 million payday. Am I way off?

sound about right...

although one would think he could take out a 45 mil insurance policy for a year for 2 million and still been 13 million ahead of the game...

OK well, to be honest, this seems like a pretty smart move......if he gets $45 million guaranteed. Now, I don't know if he'll get that, I don't follow the NFL but it sounds like he thinks there is 45 million guaranteed dollar as long as he is healthy in February or whenever Free Agency begins and he doesn't want to do anything to screw that up. If he gets $45 million, he's a genius for not risking an injury in 2018.

More guys should think like this. I said JaDavenon Clowney shouldn't have played for free his junior year. Said the same about Saquon Barkley. I am now saying the same thing about AJ Dillon. It is stupid and irresponsible. If that was my kid, no way he's playing his junior year for free. I mean Bell won't even risk injury for $15 million and these guys will do it for free.

Total SMF move by Bell. I love it.

 

[HOF Coach]

 

[plcp]

All about E G O

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

All about E G O

Or $$$$$$?

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Total SMF move by Bell. I love it.

I agree, total SMF move. Which is why there is a really, really good chance that it's going to turn out to be a really dumb decision.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Total SMF move by Bell. I love it.

I agree, total SMF move. Which is why there is a really, really good chance that it's going to turn out to be a really dumb decision.

I am glad you agree. I may not always be right, but I'm never wrong.

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

OK well, to be honest, this seems like a pretty smart move......if he gets $45 million guaranteed. Now, I don't know if he'll get that, I don't follow the NFL but it sounds like he thinks there is 45 million guaranteed dollar as long as he is healthy in February or whenever Free Agency begins and he doesn't want to do anything to screw that up. If he gets $45 million, he's a genius for not risking an injury in 2018.

More guys should think like this. I said JaDavenon Clowney shouldn't have played for free his junior year. Said the same about Saquon Barkley. I am now saying the same thing about AJ Dillon. It is stupid and irresponsible. If that was my kid, no way he's playing his junior year for free. I mean Bell won't even risk injury for $15 million and these guys will do it for free.

Total SMF move by Bell. I love it.

At some point you have to play some college ball to show your value. You want all these college sophomores to sit out a year then go but who says they’d be offered.

A strong jr year in college is what is making these guys stock soar. Now I do agree with these guys sitting out bowl games and maybe shutting it down a bit early, maybe using the excuse thing to. Sit out the last few games of college even though they could play (Lucas mix) but sitting out a whole year is going overboard.

 

[pittbb80]

I agree, total SMF move. Which is why there is a really, really good chance that it's going to turn out to be a really dumb decision.

Lol.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I am glad you agree. I may not always be right, but I'm never wrong.

If you want to say that you aren't ever wrong you are just usually dumb, ah, OK, if that's the way you want to play it more power to you.

You get, however, that most people already knew you are usually wrong. They may not have thought you were dumb, until you admitted it.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

I agree, total SMF move. Which is why there is a really, really good chance that it's going to turn out to be a really dumb decision.

Pretty solid self own.

On what planet does forgoing $14.5 mil
Earn you more money over career

 

[FreddieFunk]

Explanation

Don’t waste your time trying to understand stupidity and arrogance

But you are correct. He’s 15 mill in the hole

To break even he need GUARANTEED money for the 19 ad 20 season that equals 45 mill

So someone has to front load a contract worth 45 in the first two years and then guarantee him another year at 15.

Owners are dumb but the chances of someone spending that much money and taking up that much cap space are slim and none and slim is on his way out of town.

I’ll be the first one to congratulate him and admit I didn’t know what I was talking about but I like my chances of not having to do that

His agent said he may retire. Lol

Not really, he didnt do any damage to his body this year. So in reality , he saved his body 14 million worth of back mileage, that's the gamble, we wont know till he is done playing if it worked out for him on the end

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

Worst case he’s gonna have 45 million instead of 59 million. Had he played, the worst case is much worse.

I don’t think he’s too worried either way.

 

[pitt-girl]

Not a loophole and something that many who have followed this story knew over the summer.

True technically not a loophole but also not something anyone thought to do before. Once it was explained everyone knew about it.

 

[jtownknowitall]

Or $$$$$$?

Or taking a year off from absorbing NFL hits. I’m not so sure LeVeon Bell wants to play football anymore

 

[joeydavid]

It's really this easy to explain...

Correct me if I'm wrong here as I really am not follow this.

He thinks he has $45 million guaranteed coming his way for the 19-20 season so he doesn’t want to play for $15 million this year and risk an injury and the $45 million payday. Am I way off?

 

[Burgh15]

Worst case he’s gonna have 45 million instead of 59 million. Had he played, the worst case is much worse.

I don’t think he’s too worried either way.

Apparently he is worried or else he wouldn't have turned down two good offers from the Steelers and then sat out an entire season while passing up $14.5 million.

 

[Cavalier Panther]

The root issue is that people think running backs matter in today's NFL (Bell included); they don't. It's why Bell isn't worth a million dollars a game. And it's why the the Giants took one of the best RB prospects in the last few years and will miss the playoffs for the next 5 years. Look at the Pats as an example, they have a platoon of non-elite backs. The Eagles won it last year without a 1,000 yard rusher.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

OK well, to be honest, this seems like a pretty smart move......if he gets $45 million guaranteed. Now, I don't know if he'll get that, I don't follow the NFL but it sounds like he thinks there is 45 million guaranteed dollar as long as he is healthy in February or whenever Free Agency begins and he doesn't want to do anything to screw that up. If he gets $45 million, he's a genius for not risking an injury in 2018.

More guys should think like this. I said JaDavenon Clowney shouldn't have played for free his junior year. Said the same about Saquon Barkley. I am now saying the same thing about AJ Dillon. It is stupid and irresponsible. If that was my kid, no way he's playing his junior year for free. I mean Bell won't even risk injury for $15 million and these guys will do it for free.

Total SMF move by Bell. I love it.

At some point you have to play some college ball to show your value. You want all these college sophomores to sit out a year then go but who says they’d be offered.

A strong jr year in college is what is making these guys stock soar. Now I do agree with these guys sitting out bowl games and maybe shutting it down a bit early, maybe using the excuse thing to. Sit out the last few games of college even though they could play (Lucas mix) but sitting out a whole year is going overboard.

Barkley had about as bad as a year as he could realistically have and still went #2. So he very likely goes #2 without the wear and tear of a junior season.

Listen, its an emotional decision to play your junior year but its not a financially smart one. We haven't seen anyone have a bad injury yet but its going to happen. These guaranteed 1st Rounders should not play their junior year. As for bowl games, that goes without saying. Playing an exhibition game a couple months from getting life-changing money is just stupid.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

The root issue is that people think running backs matter in today's NFL (Bell included); they don't. It's why Bell isn't worth a million dollars a game. And it's why the the Giants took one of the best RB prospects in the last few years and will miss the playoffs for the next 5 years. Look at the Pats as an example, they have a platoon of non-elite backs. The Eagles won it last year without a 1,000 yard rusher.

I agree with this. I think RB is the most overrated position in all of sports. If it were me, I'd always have a league minimum RB and spend the money on OL, QB, WR, and CB.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

OK well, to be honest, this seems like a pretty smart move......if he gets $45 million guaranteed. Now, I don't know if he'll get that, I don't follow the NFL but it sounds like he thinks there is 45 million guaranteed dollar as long as he is healthy in February or whenever Free Agency begins and he doesn't want to do anything to screw that up. If he gets $45 million, he's a genius for not risking an injury in 2018.

More guys should think like this. I said JaDavenon Clowney shouldn't have played for free his junior year. Said the same about Saquon Barkley. I am now saying the same thing about AJ Dillon. It is stupid and irresponsible. If that was my kid, no way he's playing his junior year for free. I mean Bell won't even risk injury for $15 million and these guys will do it for free.

Total SMF move by Bell. I love it.

Let's look at the options:

A) You play for $14.5m and buy a $30m insurance policy for $300k. If you don't get hurt, then your next contract only needs to net you $30.8m guaranteed to get to $45m. Anything over $30.8 is gravy.

B) You sit out and forfeit $14.5m and hope for that one owner who is dumb enough to give an injury prone pothead who just sat out a year $45m guaranteed. After his backup came in and outproduced him.

If you pick B you're an idiot.

 

[BFo8]

Barkley had about as bad as a year as he could realistically have and still went #2. So he very likely goes #2 without the wear and tear of a junior season.

Listen, its an emotional decision to play your junior year but its not a financially smart one. We haven't seen anyone have a bad injury yet but its going to happen. These guaranteed 1st Rounders should not play their junior year. As for bowl games, that goes without saying. Playing an exhibition game a couple months from getting life-changing money is just stupid.

Barkley is a fine player, but drafting a RB #2 overall is silly unless he’s a surefire superstar, which Barkley is not. This is even more compounded when you’re a team that desperately needs a QB; the Giants made a bad decision.

He’s not quite the all around player Barkley is, but rookie UFA Phillip Lindsay has more rushing yards, and is no slouch in the passing game either. I’d say the Broncos got more value than the Giants here.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Barkley had about as bad as a year as he could realistically have and still went #2. So he very likely goes #2 without the wear and tear of a junior season.

Listen, its an emotional decision to play your junior year but its not a financially smart one. We haven't seen anyone have a bad injury yet but its going to happen. These guaranteed 1st Rounders should not play their junior year. As for bowl games, that goes without saying. Playing an exhibition game a couple months from getting life-changing money is just stupid.

Barkley is a fine player, but drafting a RB #2 overall is silly unless he’s a surefire superstar, which Barkley is not. This is even more compounded when you’re a team that desperately needs a QB; the Giants made a bad decision.

He’s not quite the all around player Barkley is, but rookie UFA Phillip Lindsay has more rushing yards, and is no slouch in the passing game either. I’d say the Broncos got more value than the Giants here.

I think Barkley will be a HOF RB. That said, I would not take a RB that high. Its an overrated position

 

[Pitt79]

Bell was offered $70 over 5 years by the Steelers.

It will be funny if nobody offers him that much and he has to settle for less than that, on top of losing the $14.5 million.

Teams have seen Conner step in and put up numbers just as good, even better, and they can now low ball him and say he's not really as good as a #1 RB and #1 WR, a 2nd year 3rd round pick stepped in and did just as good, so it's the system more than you.