Healthy Bell good sign for 1st day of camp
Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, center, talks with reporters after arriving for training camp at the team facility in Latrobe Saturday.
Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams gets his gear from the back of his pickup truck as he arrives Saturday for the start of training camp at the team facility in Latrobe.
Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown gets out of his custom Steelers-themed Rolls Royce as he arrives Saturday for training camp at the team’s facility in Latrobe.
LATROBE – Whether Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell plays a down of football in September remains up in the air.
What isn’t in question, however, is Bell’s health.
The All-Pro running back was forced to sit out a 30-17 playoff loss to Baltimore in January with a sprained knee but said he’s ready to go and in the best shape of his life as the Steelers opened their 50th training camp Saturday at Saint Vincent College.
”The last time I played football I was hurt. I am excited to get back out here and test myself,” said Bell, who shared AFC Offensive Player of the Year accolades with teammate Antonio Brown last season.
”This is easily the best I have ever felt. I am in the best condition I have ever been in my life so I am excited.”
Testing himself in training camp and the preseason will be one thing; doing so in a regular season game will be another.
Bell remains suspended for the first three games of the 2015 regular season following an arrest last August for DUI and possession of marijuana. He has appealed the suspension and “most definitely” wants some kind of reduction, though he still hasn’t heard from the NFL about a hearing date.
If nothing changes the Steelers would be without the AFC’s leading rusher until Oct. 1, when they host Baltimore.
”I want to make sure I do everything in my power to be a better teammate and player,” said Bell, who set a team record last season with 2,215 yards from scrimmage. “Whatever the consequence is, I’ll take it.”
Without Bell in the loss to the Ravens, the Steelers managed just 68 rushing yards.
Veteran running back DeAngelo Williams, the Carolina Panthers’ all-time leading rusher, was signed in the offseason to serve as Bell’s backup and give them another option during his suspension.
Head coach Mike Tomlin said the team will go into training camp as if Bell is not suspended and not give Williams, a 10-year veteran, any more work than they would typically give a backup.
”He’s the first-team tailback, he’s going to run with that group,” Tomlin said of Bell.
In the meantime, Bell is ready to continue helping Williams get ready for the regular season opener Sept. 10 at New England.
”He is not going to blow an assignment. He is learning the process,” Bell said of Williams, who has dropped about seven pounds to help with his quickness. “He is learning a lot and picking it up quick. He is a guy who has been in the league nine or 10 years and when he comes into a game, he knows what he is doing. He can help us win games.”
In other news Saturday, Tomlin said five players, including Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey, will begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list because of existing injuries.
”Maurkice Pouncey has a right foot sprain that happened in training, but it’s very minor,” Tomlin said.
Also placed on the PUP list were offensive tackle Mike Adams (back), cornerback Senquez Golson (shoulder), quarterback Bruce Gradkowski (shoulder) and linebacker Shawn Lemons (Achilles’ tendon strain).
Of those, the most significant injury is to Adams, the top backup tackle. Adams underwent surgery to his back July 20 and will be out at least four weeks.
”It’s something that he’s been dealing with off and on,” said Tomlin. “We got it evaluated and decided to put it behind us. He’s been dealing with it off and on for the majority of the offseason.”
Odds and end zones
The Steelers announced that general manager Kevin Colbert’s contract has been extended two years through 2018. … The Steelers’ preseason home opener Aug. 23 against Green Bay has been moved to a 1 p.m. start time. It had been scheduled for an 8 p.m. start but was moved so as not to conflict with a Pirates home game. … The Steelers will hold their first practice of training camp at 2:55 p.m. today. It is open to the public. The team will have a number of additional activities today to help celebrate its 50th anniversary of training camp at Saint Vincent College.