report to the Steelers and sign his franchise tender by next Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET. If/when that happens Cheap Cameron Heyward Jersey , the battle lines could be drawn for a CBA fight regarding the terms of a franchise tag that would be applied to Bell in 2019.Here’s the basic question, as it possibly could unfold between the Steelers (and the NFL’s Management Council) and Bell (and the NFL Players Association): If Bell doesn’t play this year, would a franchise tag in 2019 carry the same value as the franchise tag in 2018, or would it count as a third franchise tag, qualifying Bell for the quarterback tender?The relevant language comes from Article 10, Section 15(a) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement: “If any Franchise Player does not play in the NFL in a League Year, his Prior Team shall have the right to designate such player as a Franchise Player or a Transition Player the following League Year, if such designation is otherwise available to the Team, except that the applicable Tender must be made and any 120% Tender shall be measured from the Player Prior Year Salary.”Some believe based on this language that the league would argue that, because Bell didn’t play under the second tag, the second tag would carry over to the next year. Some believe the NFLPA would argue that the plain language of the provision contains no such limitation and that a re-tag of Bell in 2019 would count as a third tag, qualifying him for the quarterback tender — regardless of whether he skips the entire 2018 season.The difference between the two positions translates to a gap of more than $10 million between the potential tender amounts Youth Artie Burns Jersey , with the 2018 tag at $14.54 million and the quarterback tender potentially in the range of $25 million (the quarterback tender was $23.189 million in 2018). Which would make the Steelers far less likely to use the franchise tag on Bell again in 2019, if it’s the higher amount.If it’s the lower amount, the Steelers could re-tag Bell and then trade him. But if he doesn’t play in 2018, Section 15(a) also limits the team’s ability to use the exclusive version of the franchise tag, allowing a team to sign him to an offer sheet in return for a first-round and third-round draft pick. This would limit the maximum compensation the Steelers could get for Bell, which could in turn reduce his trade value.And if the Steelers are able to trade Bell, the thinking is that he’d receive a lower financial package than he would receive if he could be signed without his new team giving up draft pick(s) or player(s) compensation. If the quarterback tender applies and, as a practical matter, Bell can’t be franchise tagged (and thus can’t be traded), Bell would hit the open market and get more than anyone would reasonably expect.Case in point: Receiver Sammy Watkins hit the open market, and he received a contract that is in many respects better than the deal Odell Beckham Jr. signed to stay with the Giants. That’s the way to get paid huge money — land on the market on the first day of free agency, and sign with a team that can get the player without any compensation beyond the player’s contract.The manner in which the Article 10 http://www.steelerscheapauthenticstore. … rsey-cheap , Section 15(a) is interpreted and applied will go a long way toward determining which franchise tender applies to Bell, if he doesn’t show up by next Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET. The Pittsburgh Steelers spent the better part of 10 months waiting on Le'Veon Bell to show up for work. They said all the right things, stressed they understood the star running back was making a business decision by opting to stay home in hopes of protecting himself ahead of a potentially lucrative payday next spring.And they'd welcome him with open arms whenever he returned.On Wednesday, with Bell's absence for the rest of the season a certainty after he declined to sign his one-year, $14.5-million franchise tender , they exhaled.And pillaged.Bell's teammates invaded his locker after practice, helping themselves to whatever they wanted ?or at least whatever fit 鈥?with Bell's career in Pittsburgh all but over. It wasn't personal. Just business. A celebration of sorts to honor 鈥?they hope anyway 鈥?the last time they'll have to answer questions about Bell's unorthodox approach, one that included leaving his teammates in the dark about his plans."I think we all just assumed he'd be here and it'd be the same as the year before," guard David DeCastro said. "It amazes me in this day and age when you can tweet about things but you can't talk to each other. You're so connected, but you're disconnected at the same time. It's really interesting when you think about it from the big picture side of it. After that it is what it is, you stop worrying about it and you just move on."Something the first-place Steelers (6-2-1) are more than happy to do. They take a five-game winning streak into Sunday's game at Jacksonville (3-6) looking for a bit of revenge against a team that beat them twice last season at Heinz Field, including a 45-42 stunner in the divisional round of the playoffs.Bell finished with 157 total yards and two touchdowns in the loss. The Steelers cleaned out their lockers the following day Cheap Le'Veon Bell Jersey , Bell among them. Despite saying he wanted to be a "Steeler for life" he never returned.Ben Roethlisberger attempted to reach out to Bell, texting him before Tuesday's 4 p.m. deadline saying he hoped Bell would come in and sign. Bell never arrived and never responded to the quarterback he played alongside during the first five years of his career."He was a great teammate here, a great football player," Roethlisberger said. "To each his own on what they want to walk away from."The Steelers, meanwhile, will try to move forward without the versatile Bell, who played a vital role in the team's run of four straight playoff berths. Yet they have hardly missed a beat thanks to the rapid development of second-year back James Conner. The former Pitt star is second in the NFL in yards from scrimmage (1,158 yards) and his 10 rushing touchdowns are already one more than Bell ever put up in a single season.Conner's success, however, also put him in an awkward position. He considers Bell a friend 鈥?and while Bell did otherwise stay silent on Tuesday he did share an Instagram story that appeared to show him promoting Conner to make the Pro Bowl 鈥?and never wanted to be put into an adversarial position against a mentor."I never really pay attention to it," James said. "I always go by the model 'control what you can control,' so I'm just going to keep doing what I've been doing."Those concerns are gone now. While Bell will spend the next four months getting ready to hit free agency in hopes of landing a contract that would make him the highest-paid back in the NFL http://www.steelerscheapauthenticstore. … rsey-cheap , Conner's goals are more immediate. He sat out the late portions of a 52-21 romp over Carolina last Thursday after being placed in the concussion protocol for the first time as a pro.Conner admitted he felt "dizzy" initially, but was cleared to return to practice on Wednesday and should be fine to face the Jaguars."I feel good, feel like me again," Conner said. "Back to normal."And his team again looks like the class of the AFC North. While Bell's absence caused a furor when he didn't come in before the regular season began 鈥?as he did in 2017 鈥?things have died down considerably over the last month. Going unbeaten since the start of October helps. So does having Conner look like a Pro Bowler in his own right."It's nice that it's over," DeCastro said. "I don't have to give (the media) clich茅s, broken-record answers. We're just going to keep getting James some more yards and keep winning games. At the end of the day it's been fun. We're on a roll and the season goes by a lot faster when you're winning games."NOTES: The NFL flexed San Diego's visit to Pittsburgh on Dec. 2 to 8:20 p.m. EDT. The game had originally been scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. ... The league also moved Pittsburgh's game at Oakland on Dec. 9 from 8:20 EDT to 4:25 EDT. ... RT Marcus Gilbert (knee) and DE Stephon Tuitt (elbow) did not practice on Wednesday. ... Roethlisberger was given the day off, as is typical. Custom Houston Texans Jerseys