UPDATE: Steelers match offer to Sanders

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The Patriots** are making a move for wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders.

Sanders, a restricted free agent from the Steelers, has signed an offer sheet with the Patriots**, according to multiple reports.

That means the Steelers will have five days to either match the Patriots**’ offer and keep Sanders, or decline to match it and let Sanders become a Patriot. If the Steelers don’t match, they get the Patriots**’ third-round draft pick, No. 91 overall.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/10/Patriots**-sign-emmanuel-sanders-to-offer-sheet/

Wow. I don't think the Steelers want to lose Sanders, but I'm not sure they're willing to match an offer.

Then again, I don't know where we stand for the salary cap, so I very well could be way off base.

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Colin Dunlap: Steelers Have Tough Decision With Sanders

Careful what you wish for, Steelers fans.

The extemporaneous, off-the-cuff, “let Emmanuel Sanders walk” response needs a bit more investigation. The situation needs a good, hard think before just shipping him off to New England.

On Wednesday, it was reported by NFL.com that Sanders, targeted to be a Steelers starting receiver this coming season, signed an offer sheet from the New England Patriots*. In short, the choices are simple: Match the offer or he is off to the land of Belichick and burned videotapes.

The knee-jerk reaction from all corners of Steelers Nation has been, for the most part, to let Sanders go.

That might end up, ultimately, being the most prudent move for the Steelers. One should at least understand the merits of keeping Sanders around before being hasty, however.

First and foremost, there is this: The Steelers have until Sunday to match the offer — reported to be for one year — or the compensation from New England comes in the form of a third-round pick in this upcoming draft.

Here is the fundamental issue for me, and why I don’t think it’s a no-brainer to set Sanders free — would you take the known that you have (Sanders) and match that up against the unknown that you don’t have (the third-round pick) and be willing to assume such a risk?

That is to say, are you betting this third-round pick will produce more than Sanders has?

That’s a risky proposition.

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2013/04/10/colin-dunlap-steelers-have-tough-decision-with-sanders/

Maybe I haven't been paying attention, but I haven't heard many Steelers fans saying to let Sanders go. If that's the case, I don't agree. Neither Cotchery nor Plax can replace what Sanders gives to the offense. And with all our other needs, we can't afford to put a No. 2 receiver at the top of the list.

The offer sheet is a reported 2.5 million which we can easily match. His tender is 1.5ish so without cutting anyone we can squeeze him in with our remaining cap space. If it was any higher we probably would have had to cut Cotchery or rescind Redman's tender. At this point it's really just how high an opinion Colbert and Tomlin have of Sanders. Personally he's the best blocking receiver and route runner we have and he's actually faster than AB.

supytalpeht wrote:

The offer sheet is a reported 2.5 million which we can easily match. His tender is 1.5ish so without cutting anyone we can squeeze him in with our remaining cap space. If it was any higher we probably would have had to cut Cotchery or rescind Redman's tender. At this point it's really just how high an opinion Colbert and Tomlin have of Sanders. Personally he's the best blocking receiver and route runner we have and he's actually faster than AB.

I'm glad they at least have a shot at matching. Like you said supy, it's a question of whether they want to. Personally, I think they almost have to and will. But I haven't been right about much so far this offseason.

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Mark Kaboly ‏@MarkKaboly_Trib 3h

With $2.5M offer sheet to Sanders, it is more and more looking like Pats** are just trying to stick #Steelers with another million of salary

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Steelers Depot ‏@Steelersdepot

#Steelers really can fit that in right now without doing anything

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Steelers Depot ‏@Steelersdepot

Don't tell me the Patriots* did this as leverage against Julian Edelman. if they did, it was brilliant

I would rather take their 3R pick. This draft is loaded with good WR's AND if Sanders ends up having a great year we probably wouldn't be able to re-sign him next year so why not get something for him I kinda see this next season as a down year anyways

fer69 wrote:

I would rather take their 3R pick. This draft is loaded with good WR's AND if Sanders ends up having a great year we probably wouldn't be able to re-sign him next year so why not get something for him I kinda see this next season as a down year anyways

There's no way of knowing who's good and who isn't until they get on the field in an NFL game. We could draft the next Hines Ward or Antonio Brown. Or we could draft the next Limas Sweed or Troy Brown. It won't cost much to sign Sanders, and since he's already proved himself on the NFL level, I think he's a better option than rolling the dice in the draft.

Here's something else to at least consider ... Brown was a solid No. 2 receiver, but we still don't know how he'll do as the No. 1. What if we let Sanders go and Brown doesn't do so well as the No. 1?

No matter how I look at it, keeping Sanders seems like the better option.

Plus, as I've already stated, I don't feel like making a new sig yet again.

I believe Sanders is vital to our offense. I believe the Steelers might also be able to add a multi-year contract to this little negotation and at least get another 3 years from Sanders.

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Bouchette: There’s No Reason To Keep Sanders

PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) — 93-7 The Fan Steelers insider and Post-Gazette reporter Ed Bouchette joined The Fan Morning Show on Thursday to give his take on the Patriots** signing Steelers’ restricted free agent wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders to an offer sheet.

Bouchette feels that the Steelers absolutely should not match the Patriots**’ one-year, $2.5 million offer to Sanders.

“There’s no reason to keep him,” Bouchette said. “I’ve blogged twice about this so far. I keep coming up with more reasons [not to]. Why would you throw away a third-round pick for a one-year guy?”

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2013/04/11/ed-bouchette-theres-no-reason-to-keep-sanders/

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Let Sanders Go? Colin Dunlap Says Not So Fast

PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – When news broke that Emmanuel Sanders had signed the $2.5 million tender offer from the New England Patriots**, many fans responded and believed that the team should just let him go and take the 3rd round pick they would receive in return from the Patriots**.

Colin Dunlap tells fans to pump the brakes and although there is a chance that the 3rd round pick could pan out, there is also a chance he turns out to be a bust too.

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2013/04/11/let-sanders-go-colin-dunlap-says-not-so-fast/

There are two schools of thought here:
1. Getting a third round pick is better than keeping Sanders.
2. There's no guarantee with a third round pick. He could be a bust.

Going back to 2000, here's who we've drafted in the third round:

Sean Spence
Curtis Brown
Emmanuel Sanders
Kraig Urbik
Mike Wallace
Keenan Lewis
Bruce Davis
Matt Spaeth
Anthony Smith
Willie Reid
Trai Essex
Max Starks
Chris Hope
Kendrick Clancy
Hank Poteat

There's not too many future Hall of Famers on that list. Based on recent draft history, the best we could hope for is to draft a role player who won't even contribute right away. Ben isn't getting any younger. They need a player who can help them now more than a player who may or may not be able to help them in the future.

Even if they could have afforded to sign Wallace, that would have been the wrong move. You don't invest that much money in a receiver unless he's far and away the best in the game. But it won't take much to keep Sanders. And then they can work on signing him to a longer deal.

If they were guaranteed to get a player as good as (or better than) Sanders, then OK ... let him go. But after everyone they've lost and everything they need, I think there's too much risk in letting him go and drafting a player in the third round who turns out to be a bust.

Despite some bright spots, our offense struggled a lot last year. I fail to understand how it will be better without Miller (to start the season), Wallace, AND Sanders.

I think the FO willk match the offer because we need him. Period. Of course I COULD BE WRONG!!!!

I would still take the R3 pick. with the extra pick you could go LB or DB R1 then you could get the TE from notredame R2 plus you could get 2 WR in R3. I'm a genius

Personally, I would take the third round pick and here is why. If we don't match the offer, not only do we get a third round pick, but we could also have the ability to sign Ahmad Bradshaw who I feel could be a big boost for our running game and offense as a whole. Yes, he probably wouldn't play all sixteen games, but I definitely think he would contribute more than Sanders. Nothing against Manny, I like him and I think he's a good receiver, but I would love to see Bradshaw signed for a year or maybe even two. Plus, I have a gut feeling the Steelers will draft a WR this year. They could always draft another one with the third round pick.

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Roethlisberger reportedly wants Steelers to keep Sanders

Posted by Mike Florio

Already, there are plenty of good reasons for the Steelers to not match the one-year, $2.5 million offer sheet signed by receiver Emmanuel Sanders with the Patriots**.

Here’s another: Ben Roethlisberger wants the Steelers to match.

According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, Roethlisberger has been lobbying coach Mike Tomlin and members of the coaching staff to keep Sanders. That’s fine, but Roethlisberger isn’t the General Manager, or anyone else in a position of influence when it comes to personnel.

Roethlisberger had lobbied for a tall receiver for years, pissing off in the process vertically-challenged (but highly skilled) pass catchers like Hines Ward. (The Steelers eventually burned a second-round pick Limas Sweed, who was long on body but short on talent.)

Roethlisberger also wanted to keep offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, whom the Steelers “retired” in 2012. Arians became the offensive coordinator in Indy, the interim head coach when Chuck Pagano was undergoing cancer treatments, and ultimately the 2012 Associated Press coach of the year.

Then again, maybe the Steelers should listen to everything Roethlisberger suggests.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/12/roethlisberger-reportedly-wants-steelers-to-keep-sanders/

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Plus, as I've already stated, I don't feel like making a new sig yet again

Personally, I think you should quit making signatures completely. You made one of Wallace, now he is gone, you made one of Sanders, he may leave, and right after you made me one of Ward, he was released.......

I, like Wallace, have not heard nor read of Steeler fans saying let Sanders walk. I really, really, really, think the Steelers should keep Sanders. Does anyone know if Sanders wants to leave?


PS Happy to see the forum up and running

Gingerchip wrote:

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Plus, as I've already stated, I don't feel like making a new sig yet again

Personally, I think you should quit making signatures completely. You made one of Wallace, now he is gone, you made one of Sanders, he may leave, and right after you made me one of Ward, he was released.......

I, like Wallace, have not heard nor read of Steeler fans saying let Sanders walk. I really, really, really, think the Steelers should keep Sanders. Does anyone know if Sanders wants to leave?


PS Happy to see the forum up and running

Hey, Ginger.

Perhaps I should start making sigs of Ravens players.
I agree with you that they should match the offer, and I haven't heard anything from Sanders. I doubt he'd say anything until after the Steelers make their decision.

Oh, and it's good to be back.

Steelers split on whether to match Sanders offer

Posted by Mike Florio on April 13, 2013, 12:45 PM EDT


The Patriots* have made receiver Emmanuel Sanders an offer that the Steelers can’t decide whether to refuse.

John Clayton of ESPN recently reported that the team is 50-50 on whether to match the $2.5 million offer to Sanders, or whether to take the third-round pick (91st overall) from the Patriots*.

We were told late Friday afternoon that the situation indeed remains “up in the air.”

If there’s a split, the better approach would be to let Sanders go. He’ll likely be gone in a year anyway, and if Sanders were part of the long-term plans he’d have a long-term deal by now. With that third-round pick, the Steelers could end up with a great player who makes significant contributions over the long haul.

So have faith in your scouting department, and seize on the chance to snag a potential star player.

The Steelers have until midnight tomorrow night to make a final decision.




http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/13/steelers-split-on-whether-to-match-sanders-offer/

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

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.

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/on-the-steelers-keeping-sanders-not-letting-him-go-would-be-the-real-gamble-683373/

Steelers match offer for Emmanuel Sanders

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

The Steelers had a decision to make Sunday about whether or not to match the offer sheet wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders signed with the Patriots* and they’ve made their call.

Jordan Woy, Sanders’ agent, sent out a tweet announcing that the Steelers have decided to match 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 Julian Edelman to go with Danny Amendola, 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.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/14/steelers-match-offer-for-emmanuel-sanders/

fer69 wrote:

Steelers match offer for Emmanuel Sanders

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

The Steelers had a decision to make Sunday about whether or not to match the offer sheet wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders signed with the Patriots*** and they’ve made their call.

Jordan Woy, Sanders’ agent, sent out a tweet announcing that the Steelers have decided to match 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 Julian Edelman to go with Danny Amendola, 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.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/14/steelers-match-offer-for-emmanuel-sanders/

I hope they're already working on a long time deal

My only concern is being able to pick up Bradshaw. I think he would help this team out big time and I'm afraid it may not happen now.

I like this move. Sanders brings some solidarity to the off-season with a lot of the departures (or non-signings) that took place. He also brings a key ingredient to our offense. I believe (and hope) that Sanders will only get better and will make the Wallace departure easier to absorb.

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Steelers may struggle to get Emmanuel Sanders to sign long-term

Posted by Michael David Smith

Emmanuel Sanders will remain a Steeler for another season after Pittsburgh matched New England’s one-year, $2.5 million offer. But if the Steelers lose Sanders a year from now, they’ll regret passing on the Patriots*’ third-round pick. And Sanders’ agent is talking like a man who wants to test free agency 11 months from now.

Agent Jordan Woy told Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the Steelers are going to have to make Sanders a very lucrative offer if they’re going to lock him up for the long term before he gets a chance to test the market in 2014.

“We are also open to him playing the year out. It would have to be a very good deal for us to sign a multi-year agreement,” Woy said.

Woy sounds like he believes there will be multiple teams eager to offer Sanders a contract in free agency next year, in part because, he says, the Patriots* weren’t the only team to make Sanders an offer this year.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/15/steelers-may-struggle-to-get-emmanuel-sanders-to-sign-long-term/

i was also 50/50 on taking the 3rd round pick or keeping Sanders. since the Steelers are keeping him, now lets lock him up for a few years.