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Le’Veon Bell is not a Raven: 3 big things from free agency drama

By Chris Schisler

PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 10: Le'Veon Bell #26 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs upfield after a catch for a 20 yard touchdown reception in the first quarter during the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field on December 10, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 10: Le'Veon Bell #26 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs upfield after a catch for a 20 yard touchdown reception in the first quarter during the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field on December 10, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /
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CINCINNATI, OH – DECEMBER 04: Le’Veon Bell #26 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on December 4, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH – DECEMBER 04: Le’Veon Bell #26 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on December 4, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

1. Why the Ravens should have been more in on Bell:

The Baltimore Ravens should have been more in on Bell then they were. When free agency began, Bell to Baltimore didn’t make an overwhelming amount of sense. Running back wasn’t the top item on the Ravens shopping list, and there were other players to go after. Once the Ravens lost out on Mosley, saw Za’Darius Smith and Terrell Suggs go and didn’t add anything to the puzzle, Bell began to make more sense. The Ravens needed to come out of free agency with a difference maker and Bell was the best game changer available.

The purple and black were in a position where they had Bell was the one splash they could make and it was doable. The Ravens weren’t spending money to keep their defensive stars. The Ravens hadn’t seemed in on any of the big name free agents other than Ingram. Ravens fans wanted something to be excited about and Bell was that one big idea that they grabbed onto. It’s hard to blame them for that. Ingram is a good player and if the Ravens sign him he could have a positive impact. Landing Bell however, would have been a monumental shift in the offseason.

The Ravens have to score points, a fact that is drilled in even more by the Ravens defensive departures. There is very little offensive talent around Lamar Jackson and their number one defense will have a very hard time remaining the number one defense without the Ravens making moves that help it. Bell didn’t make much sense in the beginning of this process because the Ravens had bigger needs to address. When the Ravens didn’t improve those areas of need (and got worse in some areas) they just needed to swoop up the best play-maker available. They didn’t do that.

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