Agent: Sanders may opt to play year out with Steelers then sign elsewhere

[Captain Crunch]

[url]http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/agent-sanders-may-opt-to-play-year-out-with-steelers-then-sign-elsewhere-683565/[/url]

Maybe some of this is posturing, but why, why bring back someone who obviously doesn't want to be here and eats cap money. IMO Sanders has been a china doll and now he comes off a lot like Wallace. If the FO doesn't get him locked up long term this is a wasted move. And if the FO takes a chance on Sanders long term, is he going to stay healthy and be a consistent and major contributor? That 3rd rd pick was looking awful good to me. I still hope the brain trust goes after Steadman Baily. Count me as not a fan of Sanders... he has to bring it first... and so far he hasn't. Just my 2 cents.

[Eich]

As long as he doesn't pull a Wallace, playing the season with caution - this might not be bad. Sanders has a lot to prove, whereas Wallace had already proven his biggest asset - speed. So, I think Sanders play has hard as he can this year.

It will be intersting to see if/where the Steelers draft a WR. If we do draft a receiver, then Sanders can help fill the void until the new guy is up to speed. Keeps the Steelers from reaching in the draft and gives us a capable player for at least this season. It's the Steeler way.

[Shoe]

It's not a waste. We signed a guy with potential and familiarity, for $2.5 million. If he decides to leave after the season, we still got the year of service for which he was paid. At worst, it's a marginal mistake because people seem to be a) banking on that 3rd round pick we would've gained in return, and b) thinking that 3rd round pick would've turned out to be a Russell Wilson-level impact performer.

It's more likely that whoever it was, would've been a non-factor or minor contributor in '13. And if I knew the statistics of 3rd round picks and longevity in the league (I'm going to guess something around the league-average 3-4 year career)--it's not a big deal at all.

[Steelhere10]

It will not be a waste, at worse we still get a high comp pick if he is signed for mega bucks. And still get a starter for cheap for a year.

[Rara]

It will not be a waste, at worse we still get a high comp pick if he is signed for mega bucks. And still get a starter for cheap for a year.

A fifth rounder...

[Sugar]

Emmanuel Sanders had several offers, agent says

[URL="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000159955/article/emmanuel-sanders-had-several-offers-says-agent"]http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000159955/article/emmanuel-sanders-had-several-offers-says-agent[/URL]

The [URL="http://www.nfl.com/teams/pittsburghsteelers/profile?team=PIT"]Pittsburgh Steelers[/URL] were forced to increase Emmanuel Sanders' salary from $1.3 million to $2.5 million after matching the [URL="http://www.nfl.com/teams/newenglandpatriots/profile?team=NE"]New England Patriots[/URL]' offer sheet. If the [URL="http://www.nfl.com/teams/pittsburghsteelers/profile?team=PIT"]Steelers[/URL] want to hang on to Sanders beyond 2013, it's going to cost them a lot more.

Agent Jordan Woy told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that "[URL="http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/agent-sanders-may-opt-to-play-year-out-with-steelers-then-sign-elsewhere-683565/"]several teams[/URL]" made offers to Sanders in restricted free agency.
The other teams must not have been offering as much money as the [URL="http://www.nfl.com/teams/newenglandpatriots/profile?team=NE"]Patriots[/URL], or Sanders would have chosen their offer sheet instead. The interest still has Sanders and Woy confident that there will be multiple bidders if they reach unrestricted free agency in 2014.
While Sanders is "open" to a long-term deal with the [URL="http://www.nfl.com/teams/pittsburghsteelers/profile?team=PIT"]Steelers[/URL], Woy made it clear that it would have to come with a hefty raise.
"We are also open to him playing the year out," Woy said. "It would have to be a very good deal for us to sign a multi-year agreement."
The [URL="http://www.nfl.com/teams/pittsburghsteelers/profile?team=PIT"]Steelers[/URL] lost $1.2 million, turned down a third-round draft pick and ultimately might get nothing in return if Sanders walks next offseason. It was a costly mistake not to initially tender Sanders at the second-round level.
Follow Chris Wesseling on Twitter [URL="https://twitter.com/ChrisWesseling"]@ChrisWesseling[/URL].

[steelz09]

Wow ...... after those comments, I wonder if the Steelers wish they would've just taken the 3rd rounder.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

Wow ...... after those comments, I wonder if the Steelers wish they would've just taken the 3rd rounder.

where is the outrage?

wallace would have been crucified if he or his agent said something like this.

[papillon]

[URL]http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/agent-sanders-may-opt-to-play-year-out-with-steelers-then-sign-elsewhere-683565/[/URL]

Maybe some of this is posturing, but why, why bring back someone who obviously doesn't want to be here and eats cap money. IMO Sanders has been a china doll and now he comes off a lot like Wallace. If the FO doesn't get him locked up long term this is a wasted move. And if the FO takes a chance on Sanders long term, is he going to stay healthy and be a consistent and major contributor? That 3rd rd pick was looking awful good to me. I still hope the brain trust goes after Steadman Baily. Count me as not a fan of Sanders... he has to bring it first... and so far he hasn't. Just my 2 cents.

"It would have to be a very good deal for us to sign a multi-year agreement," Woy said.

This is exactly what I mentioned in a different thread. Sanders has no reason to sign a long term deal with the Steelers unless, it's above market value with UFA looming 11 months from now. He can do exactly like Wallace did, limit his exposure to injury, play and wait for the end of the season which in all likelihood will be December. Of course, it's a risk, he could get injured and have nothing, but it seems that today's players are willing to roll the dice. He just watched it work for Wallace. He could hold out for the long term deal (with no intent on signing anything the Steelers propose) and miss training camp, start playing in September, probably very little if he misses training camp and cruise through the season and hit UFA.

The Steelers will probably wish they had the third round pick this year.

Pappy

[feltdizz]

what has Sanders done to deserve a fat contract in FA next year? He has to ball out this year IMO.