Could the Steelers enter the 2018 season without Ben or Bell?

If you read this headline, I already know what you are thinking and I want to preface something: this isn’t a hot take or shock journalism. This is an examination of a legitimate possibility one year from now.

As most of Steeler Nation knows by now, Le’Veon Bell and the Steelers failed to come to an agreement on a long-term contract. This means that Bell will play the 2017 season under the franchise tag and could be a free agent in 2018. Bell could also refuse to sign his tag and sit out the 2017 season, but that scenario seems highly unlikely.

Looking ahead to the 2018 offseason, it appears that the Steelers and Bell will reach an agreement on a contract making Bell the highest paid running back of all time. Bell has a great relationship with the organization and both sides want to see this deal happen.

Most people can agree that this is the most likely scenario, but it is entirely possible that a deal doesn’t get done. Bell could demand too large of a price tag and want too much guaranteed money. The Steelers have let their stars walk in the past, and though the Steelers aren’t as cold-hearted as some organizations in the league, they won’t let sentimentality get in the way of what’s best for the organization.

Now let’s take a look at the Steelers franchise quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. Ben has been very vocal about his thoughts of retirement this offseason. It’s easy to say it was simply Ben being dramatic and still heartbroken over a devastating loss in the AFC Championship game.

But as they say, where there’s smoke there’s fire. Given Ben’s successful career and extensive injury history, it makes sense for him to be thinking about hanging up his cleats for good. He currently has three years remaining on his current contract, which could be his ceiling for how many years he has left in the league.

Realistically, Ben should play out two or all three years of that contract. However, the future is unpredictable. It’s possible that Ben retires following the 2017 season. Ben isn’t a quitter, and he isn’t the type to let injuries decide his career. The scenario I envision is Ben retiring following a Super Bowl victory. And a Super Bowl win is the most likely of scenarios in this article.

With the Steelers young defense gelling and growing, and the offense fully stocked with weapons, this team is in a perfect position to appear in Super Bowl 52. This brings us to a scenario that nobody would want to see. In February we would see Ben, Lombardi trophy in hand, announcing his retirement. A month later, if negotiations fail, we could see Bell departing for a new city.

This would mark the end of an era. The Killer B’s would be done. No more Ben and no more Bell. It’s hard to picture, but the Steelers have let their talented players walk before. We saw Mike Wallace turn down a deal despite being the team’s superstar wide receiver. We saw Pittsburgh trade Santonio Holmes following a drug-related incident, despite being a Super Bowl MVP and taking part in one of the most famous plays in Steelers history.

None of these situations are quite similar to Bells’. They demonstrate their team-first mindset. Like a winning franchise should, the front office won’t compromise the future for short-term success or an individual player. Losing two of their offensive cornerstones in a single offseason seems unlikely, but it’s naive to think that it’s impossible.

No one, including myself, wants to see this happen. The NFL is a tough business though and can be unpredictable.

Will the Steelers lose both Ben and Bell next offseason? Most likely no, but never say never.