News that the Pittsburgh Steelers are open to trading holdout running back Le'Veon Bell raises all sorts of questions about what could happen next:
How realistic is a trade?
What could Pittsburgh get in return?
Which teams make the most sense as possible suitors?
How good or bad is the market with five weeks until the NFL trading deadline?
Insights from NFL insiders contacted Sunday help answer some of those questions heading into the Steelers' Week 3 game at Tampa Bay on Monday Night Football.
How realistic is a trade?
Last month, an executive from an AFC team said he would be "shocked" if Pittsburgh traded Bell. He saw the Steelers as a team that would stick to its principles and its established method of doing business.
Since then, teammates who expected Bell to report for Week 1 have publicly criticized the running back for misleading them regarding his intentions. More recently, Bell has been seen jet skiing, partying on a yacht and socializing at a nightclub.
Those changes make a trade more realistic now.
"I think the straw that broke the camel's back was him being on the jet ski," another exec said.
The Steelers are generally a straightforward team. If credible news breaks that they are willing to trade a player, one exec suggested, they are probably willing to trade that player.
"I don't think the Steelers are playing games," this exec said. "A trade is realistic if they are willing to take less than most people think they should."
An agent with many prominent clients and connections throughout the league said before the season he did not expect a Bell trade. Reached Sunday, his mind was more open to one.
"The other players turned on him, so I am changing my opinion a little based on that," this agent said. "It would not shock me if the Steelers traded him."
What could Pittsburgh get in return?
Before the season, when Pittsburgh was not interested in trading Bell, the Steelers let other teams know that it could take a Khalil Mack-type ransom to land the running back, one exec said.
Now, the Steelers might be fortunate to get a third-round pick in return, multiple execs said. The price is relatively low because Bell, as a franchise-tagged player, could not sign an extension until after the 2018 season. Any team acquiring him could add to the $11.1 million that remains of Bell's salary for this season, but could not add years.
Who wants in on that deal if Bell could bolt after the season, especially since Bell has made it clear his No. 1 priority is getting max value?
"What they would want is probably a third, thinking they will get a third-round comp pick [in 2020]," an exec said. "Would you rather have a fourth now or wait for a third? You have to earn that third by not signing other players and you also take the risk that Bell does not sign the huge contract."
If the Steelers were to sign more qualifying free agents than they lose, they might not get a comp pick for losing Bell. And if Bell were unable to command the type of deal he wants, the quality of compensatory choice could suffer. A common sentiment among agents and execs is that Bell will never get an offer as good as the one Pittsburgh already made to him.
"What if enough teams say, 'We will do one year and $8 [million] with incentives and you don't get a third-round comp pick' like the Sheldon Richardson situation?" an exec said. "If I were Pittsburgh, I would try to get a corner or a safety back from another team to go with it."
Which teams make the most sense as suitors?
The New York Jets and Washington Redskins were two teams one exec mentioned as logical teams to consider.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be another based strictly on need for a running back, but the Bucs were burned by off-field issues surrounding running back Doug Martin, and they seem to be taking fewer personnel risks of late. Bell already has served one suspension for marijuana use, so he carries risks.
The Cleveland Browns also could use a back and they also have a connection to Bell through offensive coordinator Todd Haley, but it's difficult to envision the Steelers sending one of their best players to a division rival.
An exec said he could see San Francisco having interest if the 49ers wanted to become especially run-heavy in the absence of Jimmy Garoppolo, but with Bell indicating he's not interested in an overly heavy workload, a potential marriage there might not make sense, either.
"If you're another team, you have to be thinking to yourself, 'If this guy wants to get paid but doesn't want to get the ball too much, then what exactly am I paying for?'" this exec said.
It's just not clear which teams would be interested at what level. Bell would need to sign the franchise tender before the Steelers could trade him, so it's not as though the Steelers could trade him against his will. He would essentially have veto power over any deal.
The Steelers could be better off waiting to see if a team suddenly has an acute need for a running back. But if Bell's own teammates were ticked off by his approach, what are other teams thinking?
"That's where it gets tricky," an exec said.