Steelers match patriots offer sheet

[calmkiller]

Per Adam shefter the steelers matched the offer sheet. Damn it.

[phillyesq]

Very disappointing, for all the reasons I mentioned in the other thread.

[Coolie Man]

This front office can't do anything right

[Eddie Spaghetti]

stupid move

[supersteeler]

I think they made the right decision to have some stability in the WR position with a player they invested in and developed.

[Jooser]

Steelers match offer for Emmanuel Sanders

Posted by Josh Alper on April 14, 2013, 6:35 PM EDT

Getty Images

The Steelers had a decision to make Sunday about whether or not to match the offer sheet wide receiver [URL="http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/5885/emmanuel-sanders"]Emmanuel Sanders[/URL] signed with the Patriots and they’ve made their call.
Jordan Woy, Sanders’ agent, sent out a tweet announcing that the Steelers have [URL="https://twitter.com/JordanWoy/status/323559382371680256"]decided to match[/URL] the offer rather than accept a third-round pick as compensation from New England. Sanders now stands to make $2.5 million in 2013 under the terms of the offer he accepted from New England.
The Steelers can now try to work on a longer deal with Sanders in order to lower that cap number and keep him in Pittsburgh for a few more years. If they don’t, Sanders will be on track to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
The Patriots will now likely look to the draft to round out their receiving corps. They re-signed [URL="http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/5440/julian-edelman"]Julian Edelman[/URL] to go with [URL="http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/4991/danny-amendola"]Danny Amendola[/URL], but their pursuit of Sanders makes it clear that they have more they’d like to do at the spot before the 2013 season gets underway.

[thor75]

It will be interesting to see who is still on the board for the 91st pick. If they don't sign him long term, this is a mistake.

[thor75]

I wonder if there is going to be tension between Sanders and A. Brown for his comments?

[Eddie Spaghetti]

I wonder if there is going to be tension between Sanders and A. Brown for his comments?

wouldn't be surprising.

another reason why AB should just shut up.

[supersteeler]

Emmanuel Sanders isn't going anywhere.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have matched the offer sheet Sanders signed with the New England Patriots last week, the wide receiver's agent, Jordan Woy, announced Sunday on Twitter.



The Steelers later confirmed the announcement.

A Steelers source told NFL.com's Albert Breer that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger intimated to coach Mike Tomlin that it would be difficult to go into 2013 having lost two of his top three receivers, and with tight end Heath Miller coming off anterior cruciate ligament surgery. The team decided it needed to do right by the quarterback.
The Steelers' salary-cap situation makes working out a long-term contract with Sanders difficult, but the Steelers remain open to getting something done.

Sanders signed the one-year, $2.5 million offer sheet with the Patriots on Wednesday. The Steelers' initial, "original pick" tender offer to Sanders was for $1.3 million.

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The decision to retain Sanders saves the the Steelers from entering a new season without two of their best playmakers on offense. Mike Wallace left the team last month in free agency to join the Miami Dolphins. Now Sanders is expected to move from the slot to take over for Wallace on the outside.

As for the Patriots, they remain in need of depth at wideout. Expect coach Bill Belichick to target the position in the 2013 NFL Draft

[chiken]

Thank goodness..

[DukieBoy]

Well, they've ticked off Bouchette.

IMO, there was no absolute Win or Lose in this situation (at least not yet). It can trend toward a win with a long-term reasonable contract and Sanders' health and productivity for at least a few years, a WIN if he is instrumental in another SB. It will trend toward a Lose if he gets hurt and misses alot of time, and it will be a LOSE if he will not sign a reasonable longer term contract and leaves after one year. I would have chosen to let him go, and take the 3rd round pick by a modest preponderance of the facts as I saw them.

Time now for Sanders and Ben to produce favorable results. I think Brady and Belichick could have put him in position to earn alot of money, had he been allowed to go. Not as confident that will happen for him in Pittsburgh.

[Mister Pittsburgh]

Stupid. Especially if they only keep him for this season.

[SidSmythe]

It's a good move if you have a WIN NOW attitude. But losing 2 of ur top 3 WRs in an offseason could be disastrous for a team who isn't running the ball well.

[Chadman]

I wonder if there is going to be tension between Sanders and A. Brown for his comments?

No Thor, the Steelers removed the 'problem' WR. It's all roses & rainbows from here.