James Harrison: Le'Veon Bell should sign with the Steelers and fake an injury
The best-case scenario for unsigned Steelers franchise running back Le’Veon Bell would be to hit unrestricted free agency next year without taking any further wear and tear on his body. The problem is, if Bell shows up to play at any point this season, he’s going to risk an injury. And if he never shows up to work, he doesn’t get the accrued season he needs to become a free agent.
Former Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison has the perfect solution to Bell’s predicament: Sign the franchise tag before the deadline to get an accrued season, show up to work with the Steelers, but fake an injury to prevent himself from playing in any games.
“I think the play for Le’Veon, if I’m Le’Veon, is I’m coming back — what is it, November 13? — and I’m gonna go in there, I’m gonna get my credit for the season I need to get, and I’m gonna do the best I can to get out of that season healthy. And, for me, I’d give you everything in practice, you would see — the cameras would see — that I am fine, I am healthy. But come Saturday, ‘Something ain’t right, I can’t play on Sunday.’ Because if I go out here and I mess something up I’m losing a lot of money,” Harrison said on FS1.
Harrison makes an interesting case: Injured players still get paid and still accrue a season toward free agency. But there are problems with the plan. For starters, the Steelers would surely suspect that Bell was faking it and would argue that they’re entitled to suspend him without pay, rather than having to pay him. They’d also likely argue that a player can’t accrue a season while he’s suspended for faking injuries, and that would go before an arbitrator who might not find in Bell’s favor.
There’s also the question of whether any team would give Bell a big contract in free agency this year if he shows himself to be the kind of player who fakes injuries to get out of playing. Holding out is one thing. Signing a contract and then immediately refusing to honor it is something else.
So Harrison’s idea probably wouldn’t work the way he thinks it would. Even though Bell may find it intriguing.
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The best-case scenario for unsigned Steelers franchise running back Le’Veon Bell would be to hit unrestricted free agency next year without taking any further wear and tear on his body. The problem is, if Bell shows up to play at any point this season, he’s going to risk an injury. And if he never shows up to work, he doesn’t get the accrued season he needs to become a free agent.
Former Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison has the perfect solution to Bell’s predicament: Sign the franchise tag before the deadline to get an accrued season, show up to work with the Steelers, but fake an injury to prevent himself from playing in any games.
“I think the play for Le’Veon, if I’m Le’Veon, is I’m coming back — what is it, November 13? — and I’m gonna go in there, I’m gonna get my credit for the season I need to get, and I’m gonna do the best I can to get out of that season healthy. And, for me, I’d give you everything in practice, you would see — the cameras would see — that I am fine, I am healthy. But come Saturday, ‘Something ain’t right, I can’t play on Sunday.’ Because if I go out here and I mess something up I’m losing a lot of money,” Harrison said on FS1.
Harrison makes an interesting case: Injured players still get paid and still accrue a season toward free agency. But there are problems with the plan. For starters, the Steelers would surely suspect that Bell was faking it and would argue that they’re entitled to suspend him without pay, rather than having to pay him. They’d also likely argue that a player can’t accrue a season while he’s suspended for faking injuries, and that would go before an arbitrator who might not find in Bell’s favor.
There’s also the question of whether any team would give Bell a big contract in free agency this year if he shows himself to be the kind of player who fakes injuries to get out of playing. Holding out is one thing. Signing a contract and then immediately refusing to honor it is something else.
So Harrison’s idea probably wouldn’t work the way he thinks it would. Even though Bell may find it intriguing.
Sent from my iPhone using Steeler Nation mobile app
