Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is taking the optimistic approach to Le’Veon Bell’s franchise tag negotiations.

Appearing at the Hampton Roads Youth Foundation football camp over the weekend, Tomlin told WAVY Channel 10 that he would like the Steelers to sign Bell to a long-term contract before Monday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline.

“Obviously we want to get a deal done, he wants to get a deal done; everybody has said that,” said Tomlin, who returns to his hometown of Hampton, Virginia, every summer for the camp. “Now it’s just about the negotiators getting into a room and doing what it is they need to do. I’m excited and hopeful. Hopefully we’ll have some exciting news before Monday.”

Tomlin expressed similar optimism before last year’s deadline, when the Steelers failed to sign Bell and didn’t see him until training camp ended. Bell signed his $12.12 million tag on Sept. 4.

As the Steelers and Bell are pressed against the deadline for the second straight year, the running back is prepared to play on this year’s tag — worth $14.5 million — in the absence of what he considers a fair deal.

Bell told ESPN this offseason that he won’t sign an extension offer worth less than the tag number on an annual basis. Talks stalled in the spring after Bell turned down an offer, but both sides reopened negotiations over the past week.

Bell started slowly in 2017 but finished with 1,291 rushing yards on 321 carries, 655 receiving yards on 85 catches and 11 total touchdowns. The performance earned him All-Pro status, and his 7,996 career scrimmage yards are the most since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger for a player’s first five seasons.

The Steelers report to St. Vincent College for training camp on July 25. Teammates are used to life without Bell — who has used boxing and a vegan diet this offseason to stay in shape — holding off from most football exercises to keep his knee fresh.

Guard David DeCastro said he expects a similar script with Bell — no deal, no training camp — but is looking forward to his eventual return.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — In an offseason that saw Jason Witten retire to the Monday Night Football broadcast booth while Antonio Gates awaits a team to sign him and Rob Gronkowski flirts with ending his NFL career, it’s safe to say the tight end position in the NFL is in a state of transition.

With those superstars moving on or close to it, there are a number of vacancies at the head of the class alongside the likes of Travis Kelce and Zach Ertz. While there’s no shortage of options to fill the void, one candidate wouldn’t immediately come to mind when looking at the next wave of tight ends, at least not for those outside of the Bay Area.

But in San Francisco, second-year 49ers tight end George Kittle has quietly emerged as one of the league’s most intriguing tight end prospects. And he’s not shying away from the opportunity to establish himself as one of the best at his position.

“Obviously I want to be the best as a tight end,” said Kittle. “I get on the field, I feel like it’s an opportunity to show that I can play football and I’m good at my job and I deserve to keep my job. … There’s comparisons everywhere, but if I can go out and show that I’m the best me, and I can ball and prove to myself that I can play really well and prove to Coach [Kyle] Shanahan and my tight end coach that I’m playing well and I’m the best one and they need me, then I’m satisfied.”

Kittle has lofty goals, especially for a fifth-round pick who entered the league with little hype just more than a year ago. Kittle’s high expectations aren’t exclusive to him. In fact, the 49ers have been high on him since they chose him with the 146th overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft.

During his career at Iowa, Kittle never finished with more than 22 catches per season for the run-heavy Hawkeyes. He had just 48 receptions for 737 yards and 10 touchdowns in four years. Iowa’s commitment to the running game, however, helped Kittle establish himself as a stout blocker, but blocking tight ends don’t usually get drafted very high.

Still, Kittle had a strong showing at the NFL scouting combine, where he ran the third-fastest 40-yard dash among tight ends (4.52 seconds) and had the third-best long jump (11 feet).

In Kittle, Shanahan saw the ideal fit for his offense — a tight end capable of in-line blocking and lining up in a variety of places. Among the many rookies the 49ers brought in last season, none had a bigger workload than Kittle, who was taking starting reps from the moment he arrived.

Kittle never flinched, despite playing through a high ankle sprain, as well as calf, hip, chest, elbow, back and hamstring ailments.

“It’s rare that you have a guy who is built to block very well who also runs in the 4.5s and who is quick enough to separate,” Shanahan said.

This offseason, Kittle made his health his top priority. He spent the winter training in Nashville with teammates C.J. Beathard and Trent Taylor. He also kept regular appointments with a massage therapist, an acupuncture specialist, a chiropractor and anyone else he believed could help him get back to full strength.

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In that same vein, Kittle is also working to develop a deeper understanding of Shanahan’s system and working with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to develop chemistry. A year ago, Kittle said he “couldn’t tell the playbook from his thumb.” That has changed dramatically. Kittle says he’s far enough along now that he and Garoppolo discuss minor tweaks, such as which shoulder to turn when looking for the ball or altering a step on a route.