NFL notes

STEELERS

Camp over, Bell missing

The Steelers end their three weeks' training camp at Saint Vincent College without Le'Veon Bell ever reporting, one month after they thought they had an agreement for him on a new five-year contract.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has learned that on the afternoon of the July 17 NFL deadline for Bell to come to terms on a multi-year contract, team officials thought they came to terms with his agent on a five-year deal. However, at the last minute, Bell nixed the contract.

The five-year deal, according to sources, averaged more than $12 million annually. While it could not be determined how much signing bonus or guaranteed money was included in that, the sources said it would have paid more than $30 million in the first two years.

Once the 4 p.m. deadline passed, the Steelers were prohibited from signing Bell to a multi-year contract. They had placed the one-year franchise tag of $12.12 million on him in March, which will become guaranteed once he signs it.

Bell can play this year and become an unrestricted free agent in 2018 -- unless the Steelers tag him again. If they do, his salary would increase by 20 percent to $14,544,000 in 2018.

The sources told the Post-Gazette that Bell wants an average of $15 million a year.

RAVENS

Zuttah returns

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens have signed center Jeremy Zuttah, who returns to the team that traded him to San Francisco in March.

Zuttah started every game last year and made the Pro Bowl as an alternate. He was dealt to the 49ers so Baltimore could save salary-cap space and move up 12 spots in the sixth round of the NFL draft.

Zuttah was released by San Francisco last week, and the Ravens signed him Friday to join a depleted offensive line in dire need of a veteran presence in the middle.

The Ravens were counting on John Urschel to play center this season, but he abruptly retired in late July. Ryan Jensen has been playing center, but he could move to guard to replace Alex Lewis, who is out for the season with a shoulder injury.

Zuttah, 31, started 41 games in Baltimore over the past three years.

CHIEFS

Gun charge dropped

ELIZABETH, N.J. -- A gun charge against NFL linebacker Khaseem Greene has been dropped because the man who said he gave him a weapon admitted he lied, the player's attorney said.

Greene, who had the charges against him dismissed by a judge on July 17 after a request from prosecutors, said the legal trouble has been "probably the toughest time of my life" and has been "very hard emotionally and mentally."

"People started looking at me differently and accusing me of being this thug, this monster, and all of it was false," he said by phone.

Greene's attorney, Joshua McMahon, provided to NJ.com an audio recording of the other man telling detectives he lied about Greene's involvement in a shooting outside a nightclub in Elizabeth last December.

The other man's admission came the day he told detectives Greene, who's from Elizabeth, was involved, but it wasn't included in a criminal complaint that alleged Greene was seen on camera handing him a gun, McMahon said.

The man, Jason Sanders, is accused of firing into a crowd and remains jailed on aggravated assault and weapons offenses. He has not entered a plea. He's represented by a public defender whose office policy is to not comment to the media.

Greene declined to comment on specifics of the case on the advice of his attorney pending a federal civil rights lawsuit he intends to file. His attorney said he has filed a tort claim notice warning of the lawsuit.

Sports on 08/19/2017

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