The Facts: Although HC Mike Tomlin wants players and coaches to report to the locker room two hours before kickoff for games. That was continually ignored by both players and a coach or two. Not only did Bell arrive much later than that for the playoff game against Jacksonville, he missed practically the entire Saturday walk-through the day before, showing up about five minutes before practice ended.

Diehards Line: Bell performed as well as expected in 2017 and made All-Pro again. But he also threatened to sit out the year if they put the franchise tag on him for the second time. That tag will be 20 percent higher than last year’s $12.12 million, so make it $14.57. As Post-Gazette staffer x suggested, it’s probably an idle threat, but the Steelers have to be reaching a point where they ask, is he worth it? He turned down their offer last year of a contract that would have paid him more than $12 million on average per year and more than $30 million in the first two. The next highest-paid backs earn $8.5 million per year. His agent wanted to take it, Bell did not. So what’s to make anyone think they can come to terms on a multiple-year deal this time? If they can’t, using that franchise tag would stress their salary cap because it all would count against it in 2018. Bottom line? According to Bouchette, it’s possible Le’Veon Bell will not play for the Steelers in 2018.