felt he could pla

The theatrics came from all the usual suspects.
So did the silence.
Antonio Brown www.billsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-trent-murphy-jersey , just weeks after wondering aloud why he receives so much attention, arrived in a helicopter with his family in tow not far from a Nike-sponsored bus emblazed with his latest hashtag "Destroy Doubt" splashed above the front.
Vince Williams stalked out of his black pickup truck wearing a studded leather vest and hauling a championship wrestling belt while his stereo blasted WWE Hall of Famer "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's theme music.
Yet the loudest statement by a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers as the defending AFC North champions arrived for their annual three-week stay at Saint Vincent College came from someone who didn't say anything at all.
While his teammates carried their gear into dorms then headed to the practice field for light conditioning work, All-Pro running back Le'Veon Bell stayed away.
Again.
The optimism that Bell and the Steelers preached during the offseason about the prospects of signing a long-term deal has faded, replaced by the reality that he will likely wait until the end of camp to sign his one-year franchise tender to start what could be his final year in Pittsburgh.
"It's a business," Brown said. "Everyone (has) got to do what's right for their business. When he comes we'll welcome him."
Even if the men Bell lines up with would like to see him a little earlier than they did in 2017. Bell waited until Labor Day to sign his franchise tender and although he arrived in shape, it took several weeks for him to get rolling. Bell averaged 103 total yards during Pittsburgh's sluggish 3-2 start then put up 143 total yards per game during a 10-1 sprint to the finish.
Given a choice, the Steelers would prefer not to have to wait for one of the NFL's most versatile players to start playing like one.
"I'm going to send him a text like, 'Yo, come in four days earlier, try to get a couple practices in," center Maurkice Pouncey said with a laugh.
Coach Mike Tomlin called his communication with Bell "fluid" and "normal" but declined to get into specifics.
"I'll leave the details of it between him and I," Tomlin said. "I want to stay focused on the guys that are here."
Good luck with that.
While second-year back James Conner, rookie Jaylen Samuels and veteran Stevan Ridley will get plenty of chances to show Tomlin and offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner 鈥?promoted in January when Todd Haley's contract was not renewed 鈥?what they can do, the starting job goes to Bell the second he walks through the door.
The 25-year-old remains a vital part of Pittsburgh's best chance at unseating New England atop the AFC. He shouldn't lack for motivation after the Los Angeles Rams signed Todd Gurley to a contract extension on Thursday that made him the highest-paid running back in the league. At least, that is, until Bell potentially hits the open market next spring.
"No matter what he's going to get paid eventually," said Pouncey of Bell, who is guaranteed to make $14.5 million this season.
Bell tweeted out "lol and ppl thought I was tripping?" after the terms of Gurley's deal were released and later added "I'm actually extremely happy" when someone on Twitter suggested he was "mad" at the Steelers.
Still Authentic Jonathan Cooper Jersey , the inability for Bell and the team that took him in the second round of the 2013 draft to find common financial ground over the course of two straight offseasons virtually assures that Bell will be playing elsewhere in 2019. His looming departure adds a level of urgency to a core group that has reached the playoffs four straight years, but has been unable to get to a Super Bowl despite its considerable star power.
"Time is running out for everybody," Pouncey said. "I know it's all fun and games for everybody at the beginning, but man it's time to win. It's been too long."
The past six months may have been the most painful after Pittsburgh rolled through a 13-3 regular season only to get stunned at home by Jacksonville in the divisional round.
"Honestly we didn't think they could score 45 points in my opinion but hell, they showed me wrong," Pouncey said.
And now the Steelers must press forward. They've totally revamped the secondary. The linebackers must find a way to cope without the injured Ryan Shazier. The strength remains on the offense, one that will spend the next six weeks getting adjusted to Fichtner's playbook while wondering when Bell's familiar No. 26 will jog on the field.
"Every year there's always pressure to win the trophy," Brown said. "And this year will be a lot more added pressure."
NOTES: The Steelers agreed to terms with free agent wide receiver Eli Rogers, who will remain on the Physically Unable to Perform list while he recovers from knee surgery. ... Rookie S Terrell Edmunds reported for camp on time. The first-round pick didn't sign his contract until Tuesday, but says he was never concerned about missing time.
While other players were prepping for this season at spring training, Jose Bautista was on his own.
A six-time All-Star without a big league job, Bautista remained eager to catch on somewhere and knew he needed to be resourceful. So to stay in game shape, the 37-year-old slugger spent his days back home in Florida hopping from gym workouts to local ballfields.
Sometimes he ended up at the University of Tampa, or Tampa Catholic High School. Wherever he could find an empty diamond to hit and do defensive drills.
”I was trying to mimic somewhat the same program,” said Bautista, who has quickly become a rare bright spot for the New York Mets this year. ”I mean, it wasn’t the easiest thing.”
His agent helped him scrounge up batting-practice pitchers to simulate game situations as best they could. High school kids, college players Jaguars Cheap Jerseys , other free agents looking for work.
Bautista figures he got about 30 ”at-bats” or so in April, when the regular season was already underway for everyone else. All the while, the former Toronto Blue Jays star waited for a new opportunity.
”Yeah, different fields. Whatever was available and whatever people could get to,” he said.
Not exactly an ideal way to sharpen up for Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw. But after struggling through a 12-game stint with the Atlanta Braves in May, mostly at third base, Joey Bats has hardly missed a beat since arriving in New York. He had a .944 OPS over 35 games going into Sunday and had already batted in every spot for the Mets besides ninth.
”He never backed off,” teammate and close friend Jose Reyes said last week. ”He always was working.”
Next up, a nice reward.
On deck this week is the first trip for Bautista back to Toronto, where he blossomed into one of baseball’s best power hitters with the Blue Jays from 2008-17. The struggling Mets play interleague games at Rogers Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday night. Needless to say, he’s excited.
”I’m trying not to think about it,” Bautista said last week. ”I’m trying not to dwell on it too much.”
”Obviously, I played there for 10 years. I consider it one of my homes away from home,” he added. ”I’m just going to let it come and enjoy it when it gets here.”
Reyes, also Bautista’s teammate in Toronto from 2013-15, said last week the outfielder had been staying at his house in New York for the past few days and the two talked about the upcoming games in Toronto.
Reyes figures the Blue Jays might have a video tribute planned, but he’s sure Bautista will receive a standing ovation after helping the team end a 22-year playoff drought and reach consecutive AL Championship Series in 2015 and 2016.
Bautista, still sporting a neatly trimmed beard Customized Cincinnati Bengals Jerseys , acknowledged he anticipates a warm reception.
”I don’t expect anything else from Canadian fans. They’re top-notch, a class act,” he said. ”We had a pretty good run there and I had a successful career in my years there. … I did enjoy my time in Toronto greatly and it’s going to be great to be back.”
Bautista hit 54 home runs for the Blue Jays in 2010 and led the majors again with 43 the following season. He finished in the top four in AL MVP voting both years.
And of course, who could ever forget his gigantic bat flip after connecting for a decisive homer in the 2015 playoffs against Texas?
As he approached free agency, Bautista’s numbers dropped off in 2016. Toronto brought him back on a one-year contract for $18 million last season, but he slumped to a .203 batting average with 23 homers, 65 RBIs and 170 strikeouts, and the Blue Jays moved on.
”As a player, we understand that this is a business,” Reyes said. ”He wanted to stay there, but I don’t know. When you build that fan base and the people love you and stuff and you (are) successful in one place, you don’t want to go someplace else. But it comes a time in baseball. It just happens. Yeah, he understands that.”
Two days after he was released by Atlanta, the Mets signed Bautista on May 22 for the $545,000 major league minimum to provide a right-handed bat in the outfield following injuries to Yoenis Cespedes and Juan Lagares.
Bautista stepped off a plane and right into the starting lineup, hitting a double in his first at-bat, just as he did with the Braves. This time, though Royce Freeman Jersey Elite , he hasn’t stopped producing even though everything around him keeps falling apart.
With the help of 24 walks in 105 plate appearances, Bautista began Sunday with a .438 on-base percentage for the last-place Mets. He’d reached base safely in 15 straight games and even played some solid defense.
”It’s definitely impressive and we are in awe of him,” 25-year-old outfielder Brandon Nimmo said. ”He’s a great veteran presence. He’s got a lot of wisdom, knowledge and understanding of the game. … I think just that preparation, that work ethic and that eagle eye he’s got, it’s been a great combination.”
Now playing every day in a familiar corner outfield spot after right fielder Jay Bruce went on the disabled list, too, Bautista began Sunday hitting .266 for the Mets with three homers, 10 doubles and 13 RBIs.
”A dangerous wild card,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said before a game against New York last week. ”A man that wanted to play, felt he could play and was going to do what it took necessary to put himself in a position to play. He stayed active, he stayed ready, his agent reached out to every club. I mean, we got a call. That hey, .