Steelers match patriots offer sheet

[hawaiiansteel]

I love this signing for the simple reason of Big Ben.

We all witnessed what happens when Ben doesnt buy into something. I've followed the Steelers since I was a young boy and I already knew last year was going to suck because of Todd Haley. Everyone bashed BA for the longest time and again good or bad our QB drank his kool-aide and had some amazing success running that system. Todd Haley could of been GOD last year and even maybe this year but until BIG BEN beleives and buys into it our offense is going to suck. Letting go of Sanders would of caused the same reaction again this year with Big Ben and again you might hate that attitude on him but its who Ben is as a player. He will let it be known when he's not happy with something and after last years Pick 6 against Dallas he started to point those huge fingers of his to Haley. Bringing in a Haley boy Breaston would of been a HUGE mistake and again fingers would of started to be pointed.

Allowing Ben to have Brown, Sanders, Crotchery, and Plex gives him a sense that he got his way and hopefully he can work together with Haley.

Sometimes it's not about the numbers, the money, or the draft picks. We are the Pittsburgh Steelers and we have won a crap load of Super Bowls for just being a close knit team! We dont build fantasy football dream teams in Pittsburgh. We build a group of guys who will fight for each other and to know our QB wanted him to stay is all the signs i needed to know that this is a good decision. If for anything else to keep our QB confident in who he has around him on Sunday.

For being a crappy coach though BA sure has made it pretty far since leaving Pittsburgh! Probably a good reason why Tomlin and Ben wanted him to stick around. Oh well lets move on and hope Haley and Ben can work together or we will have yet another 8-8 season.

I'm glad #88 is staying in Pittsburgh even if its just for a year.

I agree, great first post and welcome to the board!

[Steelhere10]

First thought for me is to take the pick and move. But a misconception coming from this board is that if he's not signed long term that we lose him in FA next year with no return value which is false. If a team sign him to a mega deal that the team don't match, then they will received a high compensatory pick next year anyway. So it's still a win win situation.

[Steelhere10]

And we get his service this year while grooming the replacement.

[Oviedo]

I love this signing for the simple reason of Big Ben.

We all witnessed what happens when Ben doesnt buy into something. I've followed the Steelers since I was a young boy and I already knew last year was going to suck because of Todd Haley. Everyone bashed BA for the longest time and again good or bad our QB drank his kool-aide and had some amazing success running that system. Todd Haley could of been GOD last year and even maybe this year but until BIG BEN beleives and buys into it our offense is going to suck. Letting go of Sanders would of caused the same reaction again this year with Big Ben and again you might hate that attitude on him but its who Ben is as a player. He will let it be known when he's not happy with something and after last years Pick 6 against Dallas he started to point those huge fingers of his to Haley. Bringing in a Haley boy Breaston would of been a HUGE mistake and again fingers would of started to be pointed.

Allowing Ben to have Brown, Sanders, Crotchery, and Plex gives him a sense that he got his way and hopefully he can work together with Haley.

Sometimes it's not about the numbers, the money, or the draft picks. We are the Pittsburgh Steelers and we have won a crap load of Super Bowls for just being a close knit team! We dont build fantasy football dream teams in Pittsburgh. We build a group of guys who will fight for each other and to know our QB wanted him to stay is all the signs i needed to know that this is a good decision. If for anything else to keep our QB confident in who he has around him on Sunday.

For being a crappy coach though BA sure has made it pretty far since leaving Pittsburgh! Probably a good reason why Tomlin and Ben wanted him to stick around. Oh well lets move on and hope Haley and Ben can work together or we will have yet another 8-8 season.

I'm glad #88 is staying in Pittsburgh even if its just for a year.

$$$$$ Quality first post.

Didn't think it would happen, but glad Sanders will be back and we are "forced" to go WR in Round 1.

[aggiebones]

Okay, so many of us think it's only good if we can sign him long term. Lets hear the numbers and terms that the Steelers can fit under the cap (after June 1st when Colon comes off the books) and that Sanders will accept (this is key). I doubt Sanders signs a long term deal unless it's above his market value. He's one 16 game season away from unrestricted free agency, I'm sure he can avoid contact (and catches) just like his running mate from young money crew Mike Wallace and then try to cash in next off season.

Would anyone here sign a long term market value or slightly less this year if you were in Sanders shoes? Or, would you take the 2.5 million and play out the season and test free agency?

Pappy

With his injury history, he'd be a fool not to sign a legit deal.

$2.5m is not alot for a starting WR. What is the draft success rate for 3rders?
This also guarantees we use most early picks on D, which I think is more important.

[Chadman]

What Sanders signing also means is- the Steelers have $750k to sign Ahmad Bradshaw with.

Or, in other words- they have no chance of signing Ahmad Bradshaw.

Unless they extend someone.

Called Polamalu. Or Taylor. Or Miller.

But more likely- they have no chance of signing Bradshaw.

[flippy]

The Steelers don't seem to care what Ben or Tomlin have to say. I think II tells Colbert what to do and he does it.

So I see 3 possible scenarios here:

1. II liked Sanders

2. Dan intervened

3. Haley wanted him and Haley might be getting some say since he's now Ben's handler in this circus.


In general, I don't think it's fair to compare Manny to Wally or Brown for that manner. If you watch the WRs closely on every play, there's one guy out there that works with or without the ball and it's Manny. Does he want money? Sure, they all do. But he a different kind of kid.

I can remember WR screens going to Brown on Wally's side of the field and Wally just avoiding contact when his one block could have sprung Brown. In contrast, I've seen Manny hustle from the other side of the field to make blocks downfield for backs and WRs.

The other thing I always see Manny do is block his guy even on running plays that go away from his side of the field. Most WRs take that play off.

Even if he's a 1 year player, it's crazy to think he'll mail it in like Wally. 1. They're different players. and 2. Manny hasn't established himself - he needs to produce to get paid.

I'm not sure why Steelers fans don't like this kid better. He plays like we'd want our WRs to play. Unfortunately he's been hampered by a foot injury early on. And his rehab couldn't happen with the team during the offseason due to the labor issues. And then he gets a new coach/system in year 3.

It's been a tough start to a career. But he's got talent and a clear work ethic. Why would the Pats be willing to give up a 3rd round pick for the kid that's done next to nothing so far? That alone tells me we should have signed him.

[Slapstick]

Ben wins!

This is okay.

[papillon]

With his injury history, he'd be a fool not to sign a legit deal.

$2.5m is not alot for a starting WR. What is the draft success rate for 3rders?
This also guarantees we use most early picks on D, which I think is more important.

Maybe, but the "Young Money Crew" seem to have taken arrogance to an entirely different level than the Steelers are used to. It appears there are two scenarios here:

1) The Steelers have rented a known commodity for one year at 2.5 million costing an extra 1.3 million to the cap for that year

or

2) The Steelers are going to sign him long term and believe he's a long term solution at WR. Now, as I mentioned in a different thread or maybe earlier in this one, the Steelers typically don't give second contracts to WRs (Ward excluded). If the Steelers get to opening day and Sanders isn't signed, then as Steeler fans we know he probably won't be signed long term (they don't negotiate during the season and Sanders will be UFA).

Even if option two is in their plans will they have the money to extend Sanders contract? I still think the Steelers are a rudderless ship meandering about this off season. It seems they are reacting rather than acting. I think this is one they didn't plan on occurring. Not many RFAs that have a tender placed on them get offered contracts elsewhere, because typically no one wants to give up the draft pick if the team lets the player walk.

Pappy