Ben Roethlisberger Says He Wishes Le'Veon Bell Were at Steelers OTAs

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger lamented the absence of teammate Le'Veon Bell at the Steelers' first day of organized team activities Tuesday.      

"I'm not worried about the chemistry, but I wish he'd be here just because he's one of the pieces to our puzzle," Roethlisberger said, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ray Fittipaldo. "I know he can't participate because I don't think he’s 100 percent healthy, but it would be nice to see him here just in terms of the chemistry and learning and being a part of this process. But obviously, it's up to him."

Bell is still recovering from surgery to repair a core muscle injury in March. The 25-year-old is also looking for a resolution to his contract dispute with the team.

The Steelers placed the franchise tag on Bell in February, which would be worth a little over $12.1 million next season, according to Over the Cap. NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala‏ reported in March that Bell's representatives were discussing a long-term extension with Pittsburgh.

Between Bell's health status and contract negotiations, his absence from OTAs shouldn't be considered a huge surprise, nor should it adversely impact a player who has averaged 93.7 yards per game on the ground over the last three years.