Mike Tomlin doesn't know when Le'Veon Bell is going to show up for work.
Maybe it'll be in time for the Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro running back to be ready for Sunday's season opener at Cleveland.
Or maybe Bell will skip a week to send one last message about his frustration over not being able to sign a long-term deal during the offseason.
Or maybe Bell will wait until early November to sign his one-year franchise tender Authentic Courtland Sutton Jersey , a move that would cost him millions in lost salary up front, a windfall Bell hopes to recoup when he hits free agency next spring.
Tomlin insists he has too much going on getting ready to chase a third straight AFC North title to keep checking Bell's locker for evidence of his arrival.
"When he gets here, that's when we'll start quantifying Le'Veon Bell-related things," Tomlin said Tuesday.
Though Tomlin has been in contact with Bell during Bell's lengthy sabbatical 鈥?the three-time Pro Bowler's last appearance with the team was during a playoff loss to Jacksonville in January 鈥?Tomlin has no idea what to expect whenever Bell signs the contract that will make him both the highest-paid running back in the league and start the countdown to his departure in 2019.
So Tomlin declined to get into specifics about how long it might take for Bell to get ready to play after not practicing for eight months. Could be a week, as it was last year. Could be longer.
"Right now, (I'm) singularly focused on the guys focused that have been here," Tomlin said.
Second-year running back James Conner chief among them. The former Pitt star made significant strides during training camp. Following an uneven rookie season in which he dealt with various health concerns 鈥?including a knee injury in December that landed him on injured reserve 鈥?Conner's rise over the spring and summer left his teammates confident and his head coach impressed.
Asked if he's more comfortable with the depth behind Bell than he was heading into the 2017 opener, Tomlin said yes. When asked why, Tomlin simply replied "James."
"The status and condition and the approach of James," Tomlin said. "We had a rookie that missed a lot of time due to soft tissue injuries and lack of general readiness to a guy that's done the things that we've outlined."
The Steelers drafted Conner in the third round in 2017, capping a remarkable 18 months in which he recovered from a cancer diagnosis in November 2015 to become the ACC's all-time leading touchdown scorer at Pitt.
Conner tweaked his hamstring on the first day of rookie minicamp shortly after being selected and only showed flashes of the player who ran for 3 Jerry Hughes Jersey ,733 yards and found the end zone 56 times for the Panthers.
Conner ran 23 times for 144 yards while occasionally spelling Bell last season. Now he finds himself atop the depth chart until Bell arrives.
Conner looked the part of a starter during the preseason, running for a team-high 100 yards, including a bruising 26-yard touchdown run against Green Bay's starting defense. Conner has also drawn raves for his improvement as a receiver out of the backfield 鈥?a weakness last summer 鈥?and his work in pass protection.
"If we start off with James, I think we'll be fine either way," guard Ramon Foster said. "He's a guy that's made strides. He's made us confident in him. So he gets the start, we roll with him. No disrespect to (Bell), we've got to move. This is a moving train."
NOTES: Tomlin said he believes the team is relatively healthy heading into the opener and did not rule anyone out for Cleveland. WR Antonio Brown (groin) did not play at all during the preseason. TE Vance McDonald (foot) has been out since the first week of training camp while CB Mike Hilton and rookie WR James Washington (oblique) were slowed in late August. ... Tomlin said he's fine with the depth at outside linebacker, but did not rule out whether the team would look to add at the position.
OAKLAND, Calif. — Oakland Athletics fans will get a chance to see their new record-tying pitcher in person for the first time Saturday when right-hander Edwin Jackson takes the mound against the Cleveland Indians.
The 34-year-old Jackson (0-0, 1.50 ERA) made history Monday when he pitched a 5-4 win for the A’s at Detroit.
Jackson did not get a decision in his A’s debut despite allowing just one run and six hits in six innings. He has, however, had a lot of success against the Indians in his career.
Jackson has pitched 15 times, 13 as a starter, against Cleveland in his career, going 9-1 with a 2.76 ERA.
The nine wins are the fifth-most for an active Indians opponent, trailing just Justin Verlander (20) and three players he can tie with a win Saturday — Zack Greinke (10), David Price (10) and Rick Porcello (10).
The .900 winning percentage is the second-best among active pitchers with five or more career decisions against the Indians, trailing only another former A’s pitcher, Gio Gonzalez (6-0).
Jackson admitted thoroughly enjoying Monday’s comeback effort.
“It’s a lot of fun pitching in games like that Authentic Tre'Quan Smith Jersey , kind of the new guy and wanting to set a good first impression,” he said.
Jackson could have a similar feeling Saturday as it will be his first home game as a member of the A’s. He has pitched two previous games in Oakland, both as a visitor, going 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA.
The veteran will be backed by an A’s team that has won five in a row and 11 of its last 13. The A’s also won eight of their last nine against the Indians dating back to 2016.
Not surprisingly, given his 15 previous years in the majors, Jackson has a significant history against several members of the Indians, including Yonder Alonso, who has gone 7-for-16 (.438) with two doubles and two home runs against his fellow ex-San Diego Padre.
Alonso also is no stranger to Oakland, having represented the A’s in the 2017 All-Star Game, after hitting 22 home runs in 100 games, before getting dealt to the Seattle Mariners.
“It’s always nice to come back here,” Alonso said Friday. “They gave me a huge opportunity that I’m really thankful for.”
Cleveland will counter on the mound Saturday with rookie right-hander Adam Plutko (4-1, 4.65), who has never faced the A’s.
Like Jackson, Plutko is coming off a successful outing against Detroit, allowing two runs and six hits in six innings in a 12-2 win last Sunday.
He’ll find himself having to deal with one of the hottest hitters in all of baseball, Oakland second/third baseman Jed Lowrie, who contributed a home run to Friday’s 3-1 win in the series opener.
Lowrie has four singles, three doubles and three home runs in his last five games.
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10.10.2018 11:22
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