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JuJu Smith-Schuster offers Le’Veon Bell ‘a couple mill’ to stay with Steelers

If Le’Veon Bell is unhappy with Steelers latest offer, JuJu Smith-Schuster is willing to sweeten the pot with his own contribution

NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers at Houston Texans Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

If Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster isn’t aware of the old saying “a fool and his money are soon parted”, someone should probably mention it to him.

When asked for his thoughts about Le’Veon Bell’s contract situation while attending the DirectTV Sunday Ticket 25 anniversary party on Tuesday, Smith-Schuster had his own financial solution to the problem, as he told Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.

“He’s huge, they should pay him up. They need to pay him. I’ll give him a couple of mill just to keep him on our team. Honestly, when they double team AB and him, that’s when I eat, so I need him.

Unfortunately, even if the league would allow it, Smith-Schuster is only due to earn a base salary of just over $650,000 this year and $846,000 in 2019, so it might be difficult for him to find that kind of cash. Although, he did just sign a big endorsement deal with Esports brand HyperX, so maybe he could afford the payments.

With the two players apparently being regular, online gaming partners, Smith-Schuster told Gonzalez he will work on Bell while they play, but if he can’t persuade him, the talented wide receiver joked he might just have to leave with him.

“I’ll talk to him through video games, try and get him back, but at the same time man, if Le’Veon Bell’s leaving, I might have to, you know, hop in that car with him. Nah, just playing”

Jokes aside, Smith-Schuster’s comments about the opportunities created for him by Bell’s mere presence on the field should not be dismissed, and there can be no doubt the offense will need to change if the Steelers’ star running back is playing somewhere else next season.

But Smith-Schuster might be better served spending his online gaming time with Bell, convincing him to lower his price tag if he really wants any chance of seeing No. 26 back in Pittsburgh next year.