Maurkice Pouncey and Le'Veon Bell back from injuries for Pittsburgh Steelers

PITTSBURGH -- Since the end of last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers lost the best tight end in franchise history, their starting left tackle and their second-best receiver. But the reason the Steelers are expected to withstand the losses of Heath Miller, Kelvin Beachum and Martavis Bryant is the return of two former All-Pros who missed the team's playoff run last season.

Center Maurkice Pouncey missed the entire season with a leg injury that he suffered in the preseason and running back Le'Veon Bell missed the final 10 games after sustaining a season-ending knee injury in a Nov. 1 game against Cincinnati.

Pouncey pronounced himself 100 percent recovered from the fractured fibula when the Steelers reported for offseason training activities Tuesday. He went through a full practice. Bell went through individual drills, but was held out of team periods.

"They're going to protect me from myself and we'll take it slowly," Bell said. "We have a long time until we have to actually go. I want to make sure I'm OK."

Pouncey, who has missed 31 of the past 48 games due to season-ending injuries in 2013 and '15, is getting no such treatment from the coaching staff. He was a full participant in every part of practice and doesn't want it any other way.

"I'm 26 years old, man," Pouncey said. "I'm doing everything. I don't need time off. I'm (ticked) off I missed a lot. I'm ready to go."

Bell added some fuel to the budding rivalry with the Bengals when he accused linebacker Vontaze Burfict and other Bengals players of intentionally trying to hurt him. Many of Bell's teammates expressed that sentiment last fall, but it was Bell's first opportunity to express his feelings on the matter with local reporters.

"I take the liberty to thinking that everybody plays football just for the love of the game," Bell said. "But people aren't out here playing like that. People are out here to try to really take people out, so obviously I know that now.

"I wish I wasn't ignorant of that fact before, but now I just know I just have to take extra precaution of getting down or protecting myself because people are actually trying to take me out of the game. I'll just make sure I protect myself."

Bell, who earned All-Pro honors in 2014 after rushing for 1,361 yards, said he won't change his running style.

"I'm still going to be physical," he said. "I just know when I'm on the sideline I can't expect someone to push me out of bounds. I can't take nothing for granted - really protect myself, either get out of bounds or continue to finish the play."