Le’Veon Bell has been one of the most talked about stars this season despite not playing a single down. His holdout from the Steelers has been well-documented and the relationship between him and Pittsburgh has literally crumbled. He’ll hit the free agent market this offseason. There’s a clear-cut answer for what team should sign him – the Indianapolis Colts.
Why It Makes Sense For Indy…
Despite being ranked as the worst team in the NFL at the beginning of the season, the Colts have surprised plenty of people. They currently sit at 6-6, in the hunt for the second Wild Card spot in the AFC. Sure, the Colts lost in humiliating fashion last Sunday, being shutout by the Jags, but we’re still talking about a team that’s in the thick of playoff contention and has a shot (even though a far one) at winning the division.
What’s eye-popping about this Colts team is how they’re so good without having elite playmakers at skill positions. Yes, T.Y. Hilton is a Pro-Bowl caliber receiver, and Eric Ebron is enjoying a career resurgence, but none of the skill players on offense make defensive coordinators lose sleep at night. The Colts do have something special, quarterback Andrew Luck. Luck has been playing back to his elite level since coming back from a serious shoulder injury that caused him to miss two seasons. With him back, the Colts have at least a decent shot to beat any team in the NFL.
It also doesn’t hurt that Indy finally has a decent offensive line, some might even say a good one. An argument could be made that the Colts O-Line is top-seven in the league. With the addition of sixth overall pick LG Quenton Nelson, second-round pick Braden Smith, and the jump from Mark Glowinski (top-10 guard by PFF), the Colts pass protection has been the best in the NFL this season, with the Colts having the best team sack percentage* at 2.76%.
*This measures how often quarterbacks are sacked per drop back.
The Colts need a true star to pair with Luck, to avoid games such as the one we saw against the Jags where the Colts couldn’t move the ball to save their lives. Their running backs aren’t bad. Marlon Mack is an average starter, Nyheim Hines excels as a pass-catcher, and Jordan Wilkins shows promise, but they can’t even touch the level of overall talent that Le’Veon Bell possesses.
Simply put, Le’Veon is a once in a generation type of talent. In 2017-18, he racked up 1291 yards and nine scores on the ground and 85 receptions for 655 yards (two scores) through the air. The only concern I have with Bell is that he failed to get a carry for more than 30 yards despite getting 321 attempts, his season-long being 27 yards, but that could prove to be more coincidental than a sign of Bell dropping off.
Why It Makes Sense For Bell…
Le’Veon Bell wants money. He wants to be paid what he thinks he deserves. The Colts certainly have money to spare. They’re set to have the most cap space in the NFL (nearly $120 million) and have no key impending free agents this year (only relevant one is the previously-mentioned Mark Glowinski). The Colts could offer Le’Veon what he truly deserves and not be handcuffed. The only expensive long-term contracts the Colts have right now are Luck’s and Hilton’s. Hopefully they’re not regressing anytime soon.
Indianapolis is a competent team. Le’Veon would surely be against being thrown into a tough situation like say the Oakland Raiders. Bell has also already posted a few comments on Instagram posts that pretty much speak for themselves.
Leveon Bell has been dropping hints on the #Colts instagram page for months now, literally since training camp. Ballard is not going to over pay for anyone. But I could see him offering Bell a “take it or leave it” deal this off-season. 🔥 #ColtsNation pic.twitter.com/75nVDc9HWW
— Zel Moorè (@VIBEZ_419) November 27, 2018
Possible Competitors
A guy like Le’Veon Bell will garner plenty of interest in the open market. However, there aren’t many teams that need a RB that could offer him what he wants. The most likely suitors are San Francisco, Seattle, and perhaps, Houston. San Francisco has the most cap space of the three, and Le’Veon could be tempted to play in sunny California. Seattle is leaning heavily on running the ball and could try to get Bell to establish an offense like the one during the BeastMode era. Houston seems to be the dark horse, as they do have Lamar Miller, who’s at least a solid starter, but he hasn’t proven to be a game-changer on offense.
Another candidate that could enter the mix is Kansas City after star Kareem Hunt was placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List after TMZ released a video of him assaulting a woman. The Chiefs have $44 million in cap space which should be enough. However, they might be reluctant to spend so much money on Bell when their offense is elite and their defense is trash – to say the least.
What Would It Take For Indy To Sign Bell?
Le’Veon has already hinted his interest, now it’s up to Colts general manager Chris Ballard to do his thing. Bell reportedly refused a three-year, $45 million contract by the Steelers. It would presumably take an offer of about $75 million over five years for the Colts to get him to sign.
A player with the pedigree of Bell will transform the Colts’ offense from top-10, to possibly top-three in the NFL. His signing would also allow the Colts to focus the entire 2019 draft on defense. This move could turn the Colts into Super Bowl contenders. Indy can’t afford to waste Luck’s career because of their reluctance to spend the big bucks. The Colts have to sign Le’Veon Bell.