Pats sign Sanders

[DBR96A]

Guess we know where Ben's lot of the 50/50 ballot is....

Mike Florio is a ****ing punk.

[Big Ern McCracken]

It looks like most fans favor getting N.E.'s third round pick while the Steelers decide the case to keep him or let him walk.
Having another pick in the third round may look appealing on the surface but I'm not sure it's the best way to go at this point since we already are thin at the WR spot.

By retaining Sanders we have an experinced WR who knows the system as opposed to relying on a rookie, Plax, and Cotchery plus opposing defenses will try and put double coverage on Brown and take him out of the offense much like they did when we had Wallace.
Remember, Cotchery and Plax haven't had much playing tme in Haley's offense and if defenses are successful taking Brown out of the offense it's going to be difficult maintaining consistency.

Maybe I'm alone here but I would like to see the Steelers work out a long term deal and have some stability at that position.

You're not alone with that assessment by any means.

[supersteeler]

Williamson on Sanders offer sheet
April, 13, 2013


"In the end, I feel like the Steelers lose either way and the Patriots win either way," Williamson told host Stan Savran.

Williamson touched on how Sanders played two-thirds of his snaps in the slot for the Steelers, but that's not necessarily where the Patriots would line him up on a majority of snaps. That's part of what makes the offer sheet intriguing.

As for the Steelers potentially matching the offer sheet, Williamson said it will speak volumes about how the team views itself.

"We know the Patriots think of themselves as a contender. Clearly, in my opinion, the Patriots and Broncos are ahead of everybody else in the AFC by a substantial margin, and Baltimore is probably third still. Pittsburgh, I don't think, is in that top echelon," Williamson said.

"But I think the AFC is very weak [so] I wouldn't blame [general manager] Kevin [Colbert] and Co. at all if they said 'we have as good a chance as anyone to go to the playoffs next year. We still have Ben. We can't allow two starting receivers to leave in the same year and put that much on Ben, and Antonio Brown and [Jerricho] Cotchery and [Plaxico] Burress and a draft pick or two.' ...

"I think if they let him go, they consider themselves a bit of a rebuilder. If they keep him, then they look at themselves as a bit of a contender. You can only [sit] on the fence for so long. It's a delicate balance. ... In a way, you don't win either way."

[Jooser]

Mike Florio is a ****ing punk.

I would never argue any different, but not sure where that fits into this issue.

[thor75]

I would never argue any different, but not sure where that fits into this issue.

Florio was the one reporting that Big Ben wants Sanders to stay - article on page 15 of this thread. But I agree with the Florio assessment as well!

[supersteeler]

patriot sports writer Mike Reiss has a opposing view of Pittsburgh sports writer Ed Bouchette regarding Sanders.

If I'm Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert, I'm matching the offer sheet to restricted free agent receiver Emmanuel Sanders. While $2.5 million is more than the club hoped to pay Sanders, who was tendered at $1.3 million, it's still reasonable for a projected top-2 or top-3 receiver. In retrospect, the Steelers could have ensured Sanders would be with them by tendering him at $2 million, which was the second-round level, as it's unlikely the Patriots would have submitted an offer sheet in that scenario. But instead the salary-cap strapped Steelers left themselves at risk of losing Sanders, which when considering Mike Wallace was unlikely to return, seems like a miscalculation even given their recent impressive history of drafting and developing at the position. That's why I'd absorb the pay boost and keep Sanders around even if he ultimately departs next year as an unrestricted free agent.

[url]http://t.co/h09vliia7s[/url]

[NorthCoast]

Some of you are suggesting Breaston is an adequate replacement for Sanders, and would come cheaper. If Sanders=Breaston, then why would NE make the offer to Sanders, for potentially more than they would have to pay Breaston?

[Jooser]

On the Steelers: Keeping Sanders, not letting him go, would be the real gamble


April 14, 2013 12:13 am

By Ed Bouchette / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Presented with the decision the Steelers must make on Emmanuel Sanders by midnight tonight, Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin and Art Rooney had to have made two lists, just like the rest of us when faced with such a task.

On one list, they would write down the reasons to match New England's reported offer to Sanders of $2.5 million for one season and keep him. The second would contain reasons to let him go and receive the Patriots' third-round choice in this month's draft, No. 91 overall.
Surely that second list would be much longer and contain more compelling reasons to persuade them to pass and take the pick. It's almost a no-brainer, yet other factors could be at work here, including a coaching staff that went 8-8 last season and might be worried about how another year out of the playoffs could erode job security.

Sanders is a nice little receiver, a young player with good hands, quickness and the ability to gain chunks of yards after he catches the football. He is projected to replace Mike Wallace as their starting split end this season. Obviously, the Patriots think enough of him to gamble a third-round pick and a one-year deal as they do all they can to win now in Tom Brady's golden years.

Let's say the Steelers matched and kept him for 2013. It would mean they'd want to keep him long-term as well. They can then try to negotiate a multiple-year contract with Sanders. But what if he pulls a Mike Wallace and no matter what they offer, he rejects? Are they willing to pay him more than Antonio Brown? Probably not, and Sanders probably would opt to gamble on free agency in 2014, just like Wallace.

In essence, they would go through another season with a lame-duck starter at wide receiver, and they would have thrown away the chance to acquire a 2013 third-round pick for him (if he joins the Patriots, the Steelers likely would pick up a third-round compensatory pick in 2014).

Also, while they do have room under the salary cap to cover that $2.5 million -- they need only about $1.2 million above the $1.323 million they already are committed to him -- it would bring them within about $700,000 of their cap limit. They will clear $5.5 million more in cap space in June because of their release of Willie Colon, but they will need much of that to sign their rookie draft picks.

Matching the Sanders deal might preclude them from signing, say, Ahmad Bradshaw. Or it might force them to restructure a contract they did not want to redo, that of Troy Polamalu, and push even more cap accounting into future years. By passing on Sanders, they would pick up about $900,000 more in cap space immediately, giving them more than enough to sign another veteran or two in free agency before June.

If the Steelers really wanted to pay Sanders that kind of money, they could have put a second-round tender on him, which would have cost them $2.023 million. Perhaps they felt Sanders was not worth that much.

Put it this way, if another receiver with Emmanuel Sanders' ability was on another team and he was a restricted free agent with a third-round tender, would the Steelers give up a third-rounder for him? Not on your life. Would they trade a third-rounder for a receiver of Sanders' ability? No.

So, why would they give up a third-rounder to keep him?

This team is in transition, no matter what Kevin Colbert says, and it needs to remake its wide receiving corps. They planned to draft a wide receiver anyway, perhaps even high; they can let Sanders go and draft two of them.

This is a draft that supposedly is not impressive at the top but deep, which means those third-round picks are more valuable this year than they were last year. They have other pressing needs besides wide receiver, like running back, linebackers and safeties. That extra third-rounder would come in handy to address all.

Not only that, but that third-round pick will average under $700,000 a year for four years, all in the Steelers' control with no RFA after three as was the case with Sanders. How's that for more cap relief?

Steelers fans know the more recent history of the team finding wide receivers in the third round and later, but here's a quick review: Hines Ward, Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown ... Emmanuel Sanders. There's also an occasional Willie Reid.

It would be a gamble, letting Sanders go and hoping to find his replacement in the draft. It would be a bigger one to keep him.

[thor75]

patriot sports writer Mike Reiss has a opposing view of Pittsburgh sports writer Ed Bouchette regarding Sanders.

If I'm Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert, I'm matching the offer sheet to restricted free agent receiver Emmanuel Sanders. While $2.5 million is more than the club hoped to pay Sanders, who was tendered at $1.3 million, it's still reasonable for a projected top-2 or top-3 receiver. In retrospect, the Steelers could have ensured Sanders would be with them by tendering him at $2 million, which was the second-round level, as it's unlikely the Patriots would have submitted an offer sheet in that scenario. But instead the salary-cap strapped Steelers left themselves at risk of losing Sanders, which when considering Mike Wallace was unlikely to return, seems like a miscalculation even given their recent impressive history of drafting and developing at the position. That's why I'd absorb the pay boost and keep Sanders around even if he ultimately departs next year as an unrestricted free agent.

[url]http://t.co/h09vliia7s[/url]

Maybe the FO wasn't sold on Sanders in the locker room like some reports are speculating. Giving him the lower offer is the least risk...if he leaves its addition by subtraction way of thinking, plus a third rounder. On the other hand, if he stays we retain a good young player for cheap for another year. Depends on the FOs opinion on Sanders. I was really surprised to hear Antonio's opinions. Its tough to know what to believe.

[Steelerphile]

patriot sports writer Mike Reiss has a opposing view of Pittsburgh sports writer Ed Bouchette regarding Sanders.

If I'm Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert, I'm matching the offer sheet to restricted free agent receiver Emmanuel Sanders. While $2.5 million is more than the club hoped to pay Sanders, who was tendered at $1.3 million, it's still reasonable for a projected top-2 or top-3 receiver. In retrospect, the Steelers could have ensured Sanders would be with them by tendering him at $2 million, which was the second-round level, as it's unlikely the Patriots would have submitted an offer sheet in that scenario. But instead the salary-cap strapped Steelers left themselves at risk of losing Sanders, which when considering Mike Wallace was unlikely to return, seems like a miscalculation even given their recent impressive history of drafting and developing at the position. That's why I'd absorb the pay boost and keep Sanders around even if he ultimately departs next year as an unrestricted free agent.

[URL]http://t.co/h09vliia7s[/URL]

I agree with this view much more than I do with Bouchette's. I think other than Worilds, Sanders is the most talented young veteran on the Steelers roster. Just like Worilds, he has not been in the right position, either on the depth chart, or by his health, to get a lot of playing time. I think he would do well, if he gets this opportunity, provided there are no more health issues. I think Bouchette is correlating Wallace with Sanders and implying that Sanders would give less than his best effort, ala Wallace, because he is a "lameduck", and protect his body for free agency.

I don't think that is a danger, first because I don't think Sanders has a long enough history of excellence to get by doing that. He has to have a very good or big year to make himself eligible for a good contract as a free agent, whereas I think Wallace felt he already had done enough in prior years, to ensure he would get "paid."

I also don't think that Sanders is that type of personality, even if he could get by with that. Just my opinion.

Steelers have done well drafting WRs recently by getting Wallace, Brown and Sanders, but who knows, is that a fluke, or can the Steelers afford to cast off a good young receiver and rest assured thay will find another, just as good in the draft? I take a "bird in the hand, etc."philosophy on this. I don't think their recent good drafts of wrs should make them overconfident about getting a replacement. I'd rather see them draft a running back, that they think could play right away, then a wide receiver. RB is a more instinctive position, whereas wide receiver is position that I think takes more time to develop, especially in terms of chemistry between QB and WR.

I also don't agree with Bouchette's point about if Sanders was on another team, would they give up a 3rd round for him etc.? Steelers always place a higher value on players they have drafted and been in the system, then they do a comparable player from another team. That is sort of why they bring back players like Gay and Spaeth. They know them.
WR.

[phillyesq]

Some of you are suggesting Breaston is an adequate replacement for Sanders, and would come cheaper. If Sanders=Breaston, then why would NE make the offer to Sanders, for potentially more than they would have to pay Breaston?

The Pats* likely believe that they can lock up Sanders long term, and long term, Sanders is certainly better than Breaston. Also, the Pats* have trouble developing WRs, so trading a third rounder for a WR who performs like a third rounder is a sound decision for them.

For the near term, Breaston would represent a step down from Sanders, but how big is the dropoff? If Breaston is healthy (and this is the question mark, for which I would defer to the Steelers medical staff), I don't think the dropoff is too significant. Even if there is a bit of a dropoff, it allows for improvement in other areas, which is significant.

Also, for the Steelers, the third round pick and the cap space are significant. It could be Bradshaw/Breaston/Third vs. Sanders. I don't believe that the Pats* are as tight against the cap.

[Shoe]

Bouchette says "Put it this way, if another receiver with Emmanuel Sanders' ability was on another team and he was a restricted free agent with a third-round tender, would the Steelers give up a third-rounder for him? Not on your life. Would they trade a third-rounder for a receiver of Sanders' ability? No."

I disagree with that. Sanders is still an ascending player in most eyes. He hasn't shown the ability to stay healthy, yes. But he has shown that he can play in this league, something all 3rd round picks this year will still need to prove. Assuming he plays 16 games or close to it, and you could be looking at an 800-1,000 yard player.

[SteelBucks]

I'm not reading all 17 pages here, so it may have been mentioned, but I think we all know how this is going to play out. IMO, the Steelers will not match the Patriots offer and use the money on Bradshaw if he's healthy. This team has holes and depth problems all over the place, so sign a RB and load up on draft picks. This is the right move if the Steelers feel they can't sign Sanders long term. Why pay him $2.5 million if he's going to leave as a UFA after this season? I hate renting players and that is exactly what Sanders would be.

[supersteeler]

Roethlisberger puts Tomlin, Steelers on the spot over SandersApr 14th, 2013 at 11:05 am by Michael HammNew England Patriots« PreviousHome » New England Patriots » Roethlisberger puts Tomlin, Steelers on the spot over Sanders Pin ItA little gamesmanship on the part of Mike Tomlin may end up causing the Pittsburgh Steelers some real internal problems.

The Steelers must decide by midnight on Sunday whether to retain the services of restricted wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who was signed to an offer sheet by the New England Patriots this past week. Should they decide to let Sanders walk, the team would then take control of the Patriots 3rd round pick in the NFL draft in less than two weeks.


Dec 30, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) scrambles against the Cleveland Browns during the second half of the game at Heinz Field. The Steelers won the game, 24-10. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
These situations always seem to have no direction, but this one has taken on a life of it’s own, as the fate of the entire franchise is now involved.

Steelers head coach Tomlin waited out Patriots’ coach Bill Belichick’s decision on whether to sign the 26 year old Sanders an offer sheet, which left the Steelers free agency and draft status in limbo, so it’s almost certain that Tomlin made up his mind weeks ago as to what he would do if Belichick did sign the speedster to the offer…

…and now he’s making Belichcik wait until the last possible moment to know what his response will be – but in taking part in the gamesmanship with Belichick, Tomlin left himself open for both scrutiny and divisiveness, as now quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has thrown a wrench into the works.

According to various reports, Roethlisberger has been “lobbying” the Steelers to match the Patriots’ offer for Sanders, which makes a situation that really wasn’t such a huge deal in the grand scheme of things into a potential internal time bomb for Pittsburgh.

Now, instead of the question being do the Steelers match the offer and have Sanders start opposite Antonio Brown or take the 91st pick in the draft, it has become a question of how much the Steelers respect the feelings and word of their franchise signal caller.

In other words, now it’s all about Big Ben.

Selfishness has always been Roethlisberger’s calling card, but there’s no need to go into his various off-field issues, which are well documented. On the field he is as frustrating to the opposition as he has been to his employers off it…

…and now he’s just put them in a position to have to not just decide on whether to retain Sanders, but whether to show support to their franchise quarterback by bringing Sanders back for one more season, creating a potential public relations nightmare between the team and their two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback.

Roethlisberger has forced the Steelers’ hand, and by midnight on Sunday we’ll see just how much they value his opinion.

[NorthCoast]

Roethlisberger puts Tomlin, Steelers on the spot over SandersApr 14th, 2013 at 11:05 am by Michael HammNew England Patriots« PreviousHome » New England Patriots » Roethlisberger puts Tomlin, Steelers on the spot over Sanders Pin ItA little gamesmanship on the part of Mike Tomlin may end up causing the Pittsburgh Steelers some real internal problems.

The Steelers must decide by midnight on Sunday whether to retain the services of restricted wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who was signed to an offer sheet by the New England Patriots this past week. Should they decide to let Sanders walk, the team would then take control of the Patriots 3rd round pick in the NFL draft in less than two weeks.


Dec 30, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) scrambles against the Cleveland Browns during the second half of the game at Heinz Field. The Steelers won the game, 24-10. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
These situations always seem to have no direction, but this one has taken on a life of it’s own, as the fate of the entire franchise is now involved.

Steelers head coach Tomlin waited out Patriots’ coach Bill Belichick’s decision on whether to sign the 26 year old Sanders an offer sheet, which left the Steelers free agency and draft status in limbo, so it’s almost certain that Tomlin made up his mind weeks ago as to what he would do if Belichick did sign the speedster to the offer…

…and now he’s making Belichcik wait until the last possible moment to know what his response will be – but in taking part in the gamesmanship with Belichick, Tomlin left himself open for both scrutiny and divisiveness, as now quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has thrown a wrench into the works.

According to various reports, Roethlisberger has been “lobbying” the Steelers to match the Patriots’ offer for Sanders, which makes a situation that really wasn’t such a huge deal in the grand scheme of things into a potential internal time bomb for Pittsburgh.

Now, instead of the question being do the Steelers match the offer and have Sanders start opposite Antonio Brown or take the 91st pick in the draft, it has become a question of how much the Steelers respect the feelings and word of their franchise signal caller.

In other words, now it’s all about Big Ben.

Selfishness has always been Roethlisberger’s calling card, but there’s no need to go into his various off-field issues, which are well documented. On the field he is as frustrating to the opposition as he has been to his employers off it…

…and now he’s just put them in a position to have to not just decide on whether to retain Sanders, but whether to show support to their franchise quarterback by bringing Sanders back for one more season, creating a potential public relations nightmare between the team and their two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback.

Roethlisberger has forced the Steelers’ hand, and by midnight on Sunday we’ll see just how much they value his opinion.

Wow, the media really loves to play this bullcrap up. Newsflash: Roethlisberger ain't the only QB in the league that wants to keep his WRs. Seems there was one T Brady who made the same statements about Welker, and how did that work out for him? Point is, the FO will do what's best for the team. While Ben wants what's best for himself (or the offense).

Keep in mind Ben also wanted the Steelers to keep Plax way back when, and it didn't seem to bother FO then either. Add to the fact that Plax was 2x the WR that Sanders is.