Bet On Potential Le'Veon Bell Trade Destinations
September 20th, 2018
by BetAmerica Staff
For months, a Le'Veon Bell trade has been rumored, but now there are actionable NFL futures odds in the sportsbook. Beyond the teams listed below, you can also bet on the Field +375. Odds listed next to the team reflect the likelhood of landing Bell via trade.
Would the Steelers really trade Le'Veon Bell?
Pittsburgh Steelers -165
It's almost crazy for the Pittsburgh Steelers to even broach the idea of a Le'Veon Bell trade, but we're now two weeks in to the season and he's nowhere to be found. Bell is adamant about wanting a contract extension that will guarantee him a slush fund for the rest of his life. The franchise tag awarded him $14 million, but he's watched Todd Gurley receive $45M guaranteed and David Johnson pocket $31.8M during the off-season. The market for running backs is always tricky, but those two contracts are setting the perceived market for Bell. Past contract negotiations with Bell's camp have gone south in a hurry every single time.
With Brown and Roethlisberger serving as their biggest cap hits next season, and just over $28 million in cap space for the 2019 campaign, it's not like the Steelers can't make a deal work. But as with any football team, there are needs all over the place. JuJu is coming up on extension talks as well, and the Steelers are nervous about painting themselves in to a corner with an unfriendly Bell contract. That's why, despite the Steelers being the favorite in this market, a Le'Veon Bell trade is still legitimately on the table.
It all depends on what the teams below are willing to give up. You can make the argument that the Steelers need Le'Veon Bell, but you can just as easily say that the team doesn't want him back. James Conner has been beyond serviceable as a budget replacement, totaling 257 yards and 3 touchdowns in place of the absent Bell.
There are those that suggest that the Steelers won't attempt to work a Le'Veon Bell trade, but if you're not going to use him or keep him, then why not trade him for something in return?
New England Patriots +140 Yes, the fact that New England is the second choice in this NFL futures market is silly, but it's not unimaginable. I doubt that the Steelers would be willing to work a Le'Veon Bell trade with their biggest (non-division) rival. The city of Pittsburgh would absolutely revolt at the sight of Bell rushing for the Patriots. Beyond that, it's not like New England has ever shown a willingness to pay players huge sums of money. The Patriots have the assets to work a Le'Veon Bell trade with a first round pick, two second rounders and three third rounders in the 2019 NFL Draft. The recent move for Josh Gordon might suggest that New England is more anxious about their chances this season than they're letting on. But the price for Bell to be traded to New England specifically will be astronomical. Belichik won't overpay.
San Francisco 49ers +300 Are they really going to pay Le'Veon after they just paid Jerrick McKinnon $18M guaranteed? The notoriously cheap San Francisco 49ers have spent a bucket load this year on their team, and it's not going well so far. There is cap space, and the 49ers are in another conference. This is also the same team that traded for Jimmy G midway through last season.So it could work from a technical standpoint, it just feels unlikely.
Green Bay Packers +400 The Green Bay Packers have been comically unlucky in finding a feature back. But one of the reasons that the Packers are the best bet to secure a Le'Veon Bell trade is that there are still memories of the missed opportunities to land Marshawn Lynch right before he migrated from Buffalo to Seattle. The Packers are rolling right now with Aaron Rodgers and have a defense that is slowly piecing it together. I'm not sure how invested the team is in either Jamaal Williams or Aaron Jones, but neither present value in the way that Bell does.
The Packers don't have any significant money invested in running back in 2019, but making an extension work with Bell for this season seems like an insane financial undertaking. If it happens, the value of the Packers overall will skyrocket as a betting team and a Super Bowl LIII contender. As with any rumor like this, the idea of it is enticing, but the reality doesn't feel substantial. That being said, of all the teams on this list, the Packers probably have the best overall value outside of the Steelers themselves. This is the type of move that alters the course of a franchise.
Seattle Seahawks +475 The Seahawks landing Bell would be reminiscent of when Lynch came barreling in to town, but the Seahawks are hamstrung by the fact that they don't have much capital to send back in a Le'Veon Bell trade. They also have the worst offensive line in the league right now, having allowed 12 sacks. Seattle could be desperate enough given that reaching for Rashaad Penny in the first round has come back to haunt them. As the third-worst rushing team in the league, this would be an on-paper boost but it's hard to imagine how the Seahawks engineers the deal.
The benefit for Seattle is their bizarre salary cap situation. Russell Wilson is nearing an extension that is going to be gargantuan in itself, and the Seahawks have shed so much talent recently that they have well over $60 million in cap space available next season. It comes down to whether or not the franchise is willing to pay the price. A Le'Veon Bell trade would fit their overall behavior from recent seasons, and make up for all the mistakes they've made at this position over recent seasons.
Remaining Teams in Le'Veon Bell Trade Futures Market Indianapolis Colts +425 New York Jets +550 Washington Redskins +600 Oakland Raiders +650 Houston Texans +650 Cleveland Browns +1400 The Field +375
Bet on the New York Jets as they face the Cleveland Browns in Week 3 Thursday Night Football!
With Brown and Roethlisberger serving as their biggest cap hits next season, and just over $28 million in cap space for the 2019 campaign, it's not like the Steelers can't make a deal work. But as with any football team, there are needs all over the place. JuJu is coming up on extension talks as well, and the Steelers are nervous about painting themselves in to a corner with an unfriendly Bell contract. That's why, despite the Steelers being the favorite in this market, a Le'Veon Bell trade is still legitimately on the table.
It all depends on what the teams below are willing to give up. You can make the argument that the Steelers need Le'Veon Bell, but you can just as easily say that the team doesn't want him back. James Conner has been beyond serviceable as a budget replacement, totaling 257 yards and 3 touchdowns in place of the absent Bell.
There are those that suggest that the Steelers won't attempt to work a Le'Veon Bell trade, but if you're not going to use him or keep him, then why not trade him for something in return?
New England Patriots +140 Yes, the fact that New England is the second choice in this NFL futures market is silly, but it's not unimaginable. I doubt that the Steelers would be willing to work a Le'Veon Bell trade with their biggest (non-division) rival. The city of Pittsburgh would absolutely revolt at the sight of Bell rushing for the Patriots. Beyond that, it's not like New England has ever shown a willingness to pay players huge sums of money. The Patriots have the assets to work a Le'Veon Bell trade with a first round pick, two second rounders and three third rounders in the 2019 NFL Draft. The recent move for Josh Gordon might suggest that New England is more anxious about their chances this season than they're letting on. But the price for Bell to be traded to New England specifically will be astronomical. Belichik won't overpay.
San Francisco 49ers +300 Are they really going to pay Le'Veon after they just paid Jerrick McKinnon $18M guaranteed? The notoriously cheap San Francisco 49ers have spent a bucket load this year on their team, and it's not going well so far. There is cap space, and the 49ers are in another conference. This is also the same team that traded for Jimmy G midway through last season.So it could work from a technical standpoint, it just feels unlikely.
Green Bay Packers +400 The Green Bay Packers have been comically unlucky in finding a feature back. But one of the reasons that the Packers are the best bet to secure a Le'Veon Bell trade is that there are still memories of the missed opportunities to land Marshawn Lynch right before he migrated from Buffalo to Seattle. The Packers are rolling right now with Aaron Rodgers and have a defense that is slowly piecing it together. I'm not sure how invested the team is in either Jamaal Williams or Aaron Jones, but neither present value in the way that Bell does.
The Packers don't have any significant money invested in running back in 2019, but making an extension work with Bell for this season seems like an insane financial undertaking. If it happens, the value of the Packers overall will skyrocket as a betting team and a Super Bowl LIII contender. As with any rumor like this, the idea of it is enticing, but the reality doesn't feel substantial. That being said, of all the teams on this list, the Packers probably have the best overall value outside of the Steelers themselves. This is the type of move that alters the course of a franchise.
Seattle Seahawks +475 The Seahawks landing Bell would be reminiscent of when Lynch came barreling in to town, but the Seahawks are hamstrung by the fact that they don't have much capital to send back in a Le'Veon Bell trade. They also have the worst offensive line in the league right now, having allowed 12 sacks. Seattle could be desperate enough given that reaching for Rashaad Penny in the first round has come back to haunt them. As the third-worst rushing team in the league, this would be an on-paper boost but it's hard to imagine how the Seahawks engineers the deal.
The benefit for Seattle is their bizarre salary cap situation. Russell Wilson is nearing an extension that is going to be gargantuan in itself, and the Seahawks have shed so much talent recently that they have well over $60 million in cap space available next season. It comes down to whether or not the franchise is willing to pay the price. A Le'Veon Bell trade would fit their overall behavior from recent seasons, and make up for all the mistakes they've made at this position over recent seasons.
Remaining Teams in Le'Veon Bell Trade Futures Market Indianapolis Colts +425 New York Jets +550 Washington Redskins +600 Oakland Raiders +650 Houston Texans +650 Cleveland Browns +1400 The Field +375
Bet on the New York Jets as they face the Cleveland Browns in Week 3 Thursday Night Football!
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