Redskins should not consider trading for Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell

There’s been some talk that the Redskins should trade for Le’Veon Bell. Let’s slow down.

It only makes sense that Le’Veon Bell‘s name has been tied to the Washington Redskins by hopeful fans. Fans of at least twelve teams in the league have longingly fallen into the same pit. While the idea of having Le’Veon Bell on the Redskins roster ultimately excites and opens up a realm of new possibilities, it’s entirely inefficient and unfeasible, for a number of reasons.

First, let’s go over the obvious points. Le’Veon Bell is in a contract year. The only reason he’s sitting out, and the only reason he’s on the trade block, is because he wants to be the highest paid running back, and the Steelers have been hesitant to fork over the cash. The team placed the franchise tag on Bell in the offseason, but the running back never signed. He’s not under contract, and he’s not playing football.

Whoever gets Bell through a trade will basically be getting a one-year rental, at the cost of a second-round pick and a “good” player, per the Steelers’ standards, according to Mike Florio of Yahoo Sports. That’s a price that some teams might be willing to pay for a dynamic offensive playmaker with some minor baggage.

But for the Redskins, it would be downright stupid.

Why would the Redskins trade a second-round pick and a crucial player for a running back who isn’t even guaranteed to play, with his contract situation still pending? Bell’s held out this long, from the team he’s played with for five years. A miscellaneous suitor isn’t going to make any difference. After the season, the team would be able to sign him long-term, by why would they, when Derrius Guice is coming back?

Couple the logistical flaws with the fact that the Adrian Peterson, coming out of Week 3, had the fifth-most rushing yards in the NFL, and Chris Thompson has remained healthy, and the notion of trading valuable long-term assets for a short-term boost, and a marginal, unstable one at that, is ludicrous.

There’s no denying that Le’Veon Bell is a versatile star who deserves to be paid. But the cost, and the concurrent risks, are far too much to account for, especially for a team like Washington, a team that simply doesn’t have a need at the running back position. Peterson reportedly has a minor injury, but he should be able to play in Week 5.

Washington is set in the backfield for now. Adrian Peterson has proven himself to be a worthy rental in 2018, and in 2019, second-round pick Derrius Guice, who many have already forgotten about, will be back from his ACL injury, and his skill set gives Redskins fans plenty of reason to be excited, outside of outrageous trade proposals.