Le'Veon Bell Suspension Reportedly Reduced to 3 Games: Latest Comments, Reaction

For the second year in a row, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell will serve a shorter suspension than originally reported.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the NFL will reduce Bell's suspension from four games to three. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo noted the reduction was the result of a settlement between the league and players association. 

Bell was able to get the suspension reduced because "there were some issues with [the] process surrounding missed tests," per Tom Pelissero of USA Today.

Steelers Depot shared a statement from Bell:

 According to Garafolo, Bell's next suspension would be four games rather than 10 since he remains in the same stage of the program.

ESPN.com's Dan Graziano reported July 22 that Bell missed a drug test, which effectively counts the same as a failed drug test in the NFL's substance abuse policy. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport corroborated the report, noting Bell didn't appear for multiple tests.

Following his arrest in August 2014 on charges of marijuana possession and DUI, the NFL initially suspended Bell for the first three games of the 2015 campaign but later reduced the punishment to two games.

The 24-year-old All-Pro appeared in six games before suffering a season-ending torn MCL in November. He ran for 556 yards and three touchdowns while also catching 24 passes for 136 yards.

Bell's suspension was part of a rough offseason for Pittsburgh. Wideout Martavis Bryant will be out for at least a year for a violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy. The Steelers also released 2012 second-rounder Mike Adams after he failed a physical.

Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman thought Bell's and Bryant's suspensions in particular reflected poorly on the organization as a whole:

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The Steelers have long been one of the best organizations to both cover and watch. The team is run by incredibly smart people, both in the front office, on the coaching staff and in the public relations department. They are often honest and forthright. The Steelers are one of only a handful of organizations that has never lied to me or even exaggerated anything. The team is the gold standard in sports.

Still, this is troubling as hell. Something has gone wrong inside that locker room. Maybe that's not a fair statement. It's two guys on a team of many, after all. But it's two offensive stars, in trouble multiple times, who didn't seem to either get, or care, about the message they were receiving from the Steelers coaches, players and front office trying to change their behavior.

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From a practical perspective, the Steelers will be down two of their best playmakers when they kick off the new season.

Bell returns after three games, but that's still a sizable chunk of the season. In what is likely to be a tight AFC North race, his suspension could have serious ramifications.

Two factors could help Pittsburgh while Bell is out.

The schedule doesn't pit the Steelers against a murderer's row of great run-defense teams. Below is a look at where their first three opponents ranked in rushing yards, touchdowns and run-defense DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average), per Football Outsiders:

Week	Team	Rush Yards Allowed Per Game	YPC Allowed	Rush TD Allowed	Run-Defense DVOA
1	Washington Redskins	122.6 (26th)	4.8 (31st)	10 (T10th)	-5.5% (22nd)
2	Cincinnati Bengals	92.3 (7th)	4.3 (22nd)	8 (T6th)	-17.2% (8th)
3	Philadelphia Eagles	134.6 (32nd)	4.5 (28th)	10 (T10th)	-0.4% (28th)

DeAngelo Williams is also coming off a resurgent 2015. His 907 rushing yards were his highest since 2009, and he tied for the league lead with 11 rushing touchdowns.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Steelers offense gained more yards and scored more points with Williams rather than Bell in the backfield:

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The Steelers averaged 32 points per game in 10 games with Williams and without Bell last season. They averaged 17.3 points per game in six games with both Bell and Williams in 2015.

With Williams on the field and Bell off the field for 642 snaps last season, Pittsburgh averaged 6.8 yards per play. They averaged 5.4 yards per play in 273 snaps with Bell on the field and Williams off the field.

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Age will be a concern for Williams, though, as he's entering his age-33 season. The presence of Jonathan Stewart helped Williams manage his workload with the Carolina Panthers, but it's fair to question if he can replicate last year's success given the wear and tear on his body over the years.

The passing game will feel a lot of pressure, which should be fine so long as Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown stay healthy. Markus Wheaton's continued progression will ease some of the burden on Brown too.

The Steelers showed last year they can rebound without the services of their Pro Bowl running back to start the season, and the reduction of his suspension will only help their cause.