David Johnson is a nice guy. He's very concerned for his fellow players in the league and wants them to be compensated fairly. What other reason could he have for stating this weekend that he wants to see Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell get oh so paid?
"I hope he gets the deal he deserves," Johnson told the MMQB. "I hope it's going to be the type of deal that cornerbacks get and quarterbacks get."
Given the way the NFL values running backs these days, it seems unlikely that Bell will be paid like the league's top cornerbacks and quarterbacks. That fact could help explain why Bell is still mired in a contract dispute with the Steelers, who used the franchise tag on him earlier this offseason. They have until later this week to come to an agreement on a long-term contract; and if they don't, Bell will have to play out the year on the tag, which pays approximately $12.1 million in 2017.
A one-year, $12.1 million, fully-guaranteed deal isn't bad, all things considered, but it's not necessarily what you'd expect for a player at the top of the market at his position. Bell has been arguably the best back in football for a couple years now, and Johnson emerged over the last season-plus as a player right there with him.
Johnson's heading into his third year in the league, so he'll be eligible for an extension next offseason. It's no surprise that he wants to see Bell get paid now. If and when he does, there will be a benchmark that Johnson and his agent can use in negotiations with the Cardinals. While he may actually be a very nice guy, we can't say his reasons for wanting to see Le'Veon break the bank are entirely selfless. The way Bell's situation turns out figures to have a strong effect on how Johnson's financial future develops.
