Emmanual Sanders stays in Pittsburgh.

[coltsfansince65]

The Steelers have matched the Pats offer according the NFL.Network

[dw49]

yep

 

 

 

 

Steelers matched restricted free agent WR Emmanuel Sanders' one-year, $2.5 million offer sheet from the Patriots.

Sanders will stay in Pittsburgh on the same contract, though the Steelers may soon try to sign him to a long-term deal, lowering Sanders' cap number and keeping him beyond 2013. Sanders, 26, posted a 44/626/14.2/1 line as Pittsburgh's slot receiver last season and will replace Mike Wallace at X in Todd Haley's offense. Assuming the Steelers don't draft a big-time receiver, Sanders will offer sleeper appeal in 2013 fantasy football. The Pats will likely now attack receivers in the draft, potentially using two of their five picks at the position.

[james_zeigler1994]

Sanders really isn't that good anyway did any of you see some of those easy fumbles he gave up last season I mean wow those were some of the most easy fumbles I have ever seen but ya give him credit he had career highs in almost everything but normally when you give up fumbles that easy then that team doesn't want you back.

[Tony Sullivan]

Probably could have gotten someone just as good in the third for a fraction of the cost. 

[james_zeigler1994]

Agreed.

[amfootball]

I think the fact that the Pats were willing to give up a third for this guy tells you that they don't think much of this draft. The Pats generally hold on to their high picks and this season they only have 5 to being with. I assume they will address WR in the draft. Right now they have Jenkins and Branch on the outside. Not good.

 

I liked Sanders and was hoping they would get him. I am surprised the Steelers matched as he will be a FA next year and they won't getting anything for him but maybe they too think this draft is weak and would rather keep the player.

[The Old Crow]

Belichick pulled a fast one again with the one year restricted free agent offer to Emmanuel Sanders, for a third round draft pick. This coach is the King of Shennigans, but as he has put the Steelers in a corner, and forced them to use even more cap space to match Sander's offer, obviously I like this one. This guy doesn't miss a trick, as we all know.

[Yehoodi]

would of liked to have Sanders, but also am glad that we still have our 3rd pick . . .

[tonychen]

I think the fact that the Pats were willing to give up a third for this guy tells you that they don't think much of this draft. The Pats generally hold on to their high picks and this season they only have 5 to being with. I assume they will address WR in the draft. Right now they have Jenkins and Branch on the outside. Not good.

 

I liked Sanders and was hoping they would get him. I am surprised the Steelers matched as he will be a FA next year and they won't getting anything for him but maybe they too think this draft is weak and would rather keep the player.

 

Pats do not have a good track record of drafting WRs so I think a 3rd rounder for Sanders was a low-risk trade for Pats. But Steelers are down to Antonio Brown alone so they are less willing to let go of Sanders. It was a trade that was unlikely to happen anyway.

 

Kinda curious who Pats are going to draft or sign. Maybe they should let Lyold come back at a discounted price.

[Superman]

Peter King with some insight:

 

6. I think someone's going to have to tell me, if the Patriots really wanted Emmanuel Sanders in restricted free agency, why they signed him to a one-year, $2.5 million contract. That's like saying, "Well, we sort of want him, but we're really not sure, and we'll give him a D-minus deal, and maybe Pittsburgh will just take the third-round pick in return." I don't get the gesture. At all.

7. I think for those questioning the Steelers matching the offer and forgoing a third-round pick and paying $2.5 million for a potential starting receiver for one year on a playoff contender ... I mean, really. Why wouldn't they match? Unless they were rich at the position and thought they could get by without a marginal starting player making marginal starter's money?

Sanders had 44 catches for a team-high 14.2 yards per catch. He'll likely start alongside Antonio Brown. Folks, that's worth $2.5 million, a starting wide receiver on a team that's going to send the quarterback back to pass 575 times.

 

 

I agree with the first, not so much with the second. The Steelers are thin at receiver, but I don't believe in Sanders as a full time starter. Brandon Lloyd is still available, Ramses Barden is very talented, Braylon Edwards is still out there, and there are several second/third round receiver prospects in the draft. If I were the Steelers, I'd have rather had the pick, and they could have drafted Robert Woods (not with that pick, but still) and signed a vet, and probably been better off. Maybe they still will do just that, but I value the pick more than Sanders potential. I actually like DHB better than Sanders, for basically the same money. I think this might have come down to keeping Roethlisberger from blowing up again. They got rid of his coordinator last year, he lost a receiver this year already... might have been a meltdown this time.

 

Back to the first point, if the Patriots actually wanted Sanders, why such a low level offer? That's not what you typically see with an RFA offer sheet; it's usually a multi year deal. If they wanted a one year receiver, why not DHB? Or one of the other players I mentioned above? And why did they want Sanders in the first place? They've filled out their corps pretty nicely. Adding Sanders would be a positive, but not really.

 

Just a weird situation all the way around, like neither team really wanted the player all that much.

[tonychen]

Peter King with some insight:

 

I agree with the first, not so much with the second. The Steelers are thin at receiver, but I don't believe in Sanders as a full time starter. Brandon Lloyd is still available, Ramses Barden is very talented, Braylon Edwards is still out there, and there are several second/third round receiver prospects in the draft. If I were the Steelers, I'd have rather had the pick, and they could have drafted Robert Woods (not with that pick, but still) and signed a vet, and probably been better off. Maybe they still will do just that, but I value the pick more than Sanders potential. I actually like DHB better than Sanders, for basically the same money. I think this might have come down to keeping Roethlisberger from blowing up again. They got rid of his coordinator last year, he lost a receiver this year already... might have been a meltdown this time.

 

Back to the first point, if the Patriots actually wanted Sanders, why such a low level offer? That's not what you typically see with an RFA offer sheet; it's usually a multi year deal. If they wanted a one year receiver, why not DHB? Or one of the other players I mentioned above? And why did they want Sanders in the first place? They've filled out their corps pretty nicely. Adding Sanders would be a positive, but not really.

 

Just a weird situation all the way around, like neither team really wanted the player all that much.

 

Totally agree with you on the first point and looks like Pats are making a bunch of cheap moves on the WR position, starting from low-balling Welker, getting rid of Lyold to save about $1M, and now kinda attempting to get Sanders. As their TEs are both not very accountable and Amendola has been known for injury issues they will pay for the decisions they made. Donald Jones may be their best when the season ends.

 

But for the potential of Sanders I think he is fully capable of being a very solid starter, say better than any WRs on the current Pats roster. He runs a 4.4s 40 and has known the offense very well. Only problems he is 5'11" and did not have a chance to show what he really could do. Remember when Wallace came out he was also from nowhere and people were questioning Steelers letting Holmes go. Not a problem Wallace did even better.

[Superman]

Totally agree with you on the first point and looks like Pats are making a bunch of cheap moves on the WR position, starting from low-balling Welker, getting rid of Lyold to save about $1M, and now kinda attempting to get Sanders. As their TEs are both not very accountable and Amendola has been known for injury issues they will pay for the decisions they made. Donald Jones may be their best when the season ends.

 

But for the potential of Sanders I think he is fully capable of being a very solid starter, say better than any WRs on the current Pats roster. He runs a 4.4s 40 and has known the offense very well. Only problems he is 5'11" and did not have a chance to show what he really could do. Remember when Wallace came out he was also from nowhere and people were questioning Steelers letting Holmes go. Not a problem Wallace did even better.

 

I'm not impressed with Sanders. He's not bad, I guess he's capable as a starter if you don't have another option. I'm just saying I think the Steelers would have been better off with the Pats third rounder than they will be with Sanders. And considering how long it took them to match the Patriots offer sheet -- down to the last minute, and only after Roethlisberger was reported to be lobbying to keep him -- it doesn't seem like they really wanted him that much.

 

That's speculation on my part, of course. All of it; I don't know whether Sanders can fill Wallace's void or not (I'm not that impressed with Wallace either, by the way), nor do I know what the Steelers or Pats were thinking. It's just a weird RFA situation that I don't remember seeing before.

[Flying Elvis]

Pats do not have a good track record of drafting WRs so I think a 3rd rounder for Sanders was a low-risk trade for Pats. But Steelers are down to Antonio Brown alone so they are less willing to let go of Sanders. It was a trade that was unlikely to happen anyway.

 

Kinda curious who Pats are going to draft or sign. Maybe they should let Lyold come back at a discounted price.

Deion Branch and David Givens worked out pretty well in the early days, not much since but Belichick really hasn't spent many high picks on receivers. None in his 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2011 drafts.

 

2002 Branch 2nd round

     Givens 7th

2003 Bethel Johnson 2nd

2004 P.K. Sam 5th

2006 Chad Jackson 2nd

2008 Matt Slater 5th

2009 Brandon Tate 3rd

     Julian Edelman 7th

2010 Taylor Price 3rd

2012 Jeremy Ebert 7th

 

The last time the Pats selected a WR in the 1st rd was Terry Glenn in 1996 with Parcells. Maybe this will be the year Belichick finally selects one in the 1st round.

[amfootball]

Deion Branch and David Givens worked out pretty well in the early days, not much since but Belichick really hasn't spent many high picks on receivers. None in his 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2011 drafts.

 

2002 Branch 2nd round

     Givens 7th

2003 Bethel Johnson 2nd

2004 P.K. Sam 5th

2006 Chad Jackson 2nd

2008 Matt Slater 5th

2009 Brandon Tate 3rd

     Julian Edelman 7th

2010 Taylor Price 3rd

2012 Jeremy Ebert 7th

 

The last time the Pats selected a WR in the 1st rd was Terry Glenn in 1996 with Parcells. Maybe this will be the year Belichick finally selects one in the 1st round.

Yes, Pats have been decent in the draft but not so great in FA or trades - Chad Johnson, Doug Gabriel, Donald Hayes, Joey Galloway. I think they need to go first round this year. We can't go into the season with Jenkins, Branch.

[Superman]

Yes, Pats have been decent in the draft but not so great in FA or trades - Chad Johnson, Doug Gabriel, Donald Hayes, Joey Galloway. I think they need to go first round this year. We can't go into the season with Jenkins, Branch.

 

???

 

Edelman and Amendola.

[dw49]

Peter King with some insight:

 

I agree with the first, not so much with the second. The Steelers are thin at receiver, but I don't believe in Sanders as a full time starter. Brandon Lloyd is still available, Ramses Barden is very talented, Braylon Edwards is still out there, and there are several second/third round receiver prospects in the draft. If I were the Steelers, I'd have rather had the pick, and they could have drafted Robert Woods (not with that pick, but still) and signed a vet, and probably been better off. Maybe they still will do just that, but I value the pick more than Sanders potential. I actually like DHB better than Sanders, for basically the same money. I think this might have come down to keeping Roethlisberger from blowing up again. They got rid of his coordinator last year, he lost a receiver this year already... might have been a meltdown this time.

 

Back to the first point, if the Patriots actually wanted Sanders, why such a low level offer? That's not what you typically see with an RFA offer sheet; it's usually a multi year deal. If they wanted a one year receiver, why not DHB? Or one of the other players I mentioned above? And why did they want Sanders in the first place? They've filled out their corps pretty nicely. Adding Sanders would be a positive, but not really.

 

Just a weird situation all the way around, like neither team really wanted the player all that much.

 

 

 

I was also , like many others here , scratching my head as to why the Pats made such a low offer if they really wanted Sanders. 

 

Could it just be as simple as this ? 

 

The Steelers could have given Sanders 2.02 million and had a 2nd round tender on him. So maybe the Pats just figured if they (Steelers) wouldn't even pay him 2 mill for 2013 and get a 2nd round pick if he was signed away , why would they match an offer for 2.5 million ? If you think about it , really makes no sense following through Pitts. coarse of action on this player.

[chad72]

Belichick pulled a fast one again with the one year restricted free agent offer to Emmanuel Sanders, for a third round draft pick. This coach is the King of Shennigans, but as he has put the Steelers in a corner, and forced them to use even more cap space to match Sander's offer, obviously I like this one. This guy doesn't miss a trick, as we all know.

 

This could be lowered after the draft if they come to agreement on a longer term offer, so nothing is set in stone yet.

[chad72]

I was also , like many others here , scratching my head as to why the Pats made such a low offer if they really wanted Sanders. 

 

Could it just be as simple as this ? 

 

The Steelers could have given Sanders 2.02 million and had a 2nd round tender on him. So maybe the Pats just figured if they (Steelers) wouldn't even pay him 2 mill for 2013 and get a 2nd round pick if he was signed away , why would they match an offer for 2.5 million ? If you think about it , really makes no sense following through Pitts. coarse of action on this player.

 

Actually, the Steelers chose to play the market wisely and let Sanders realize his market value before retaining him. That is how I see it. With changing OCs last year, some continuity made sense after losing Mike Wallace.

[Superman]

I was also , like many others here , scratching my head as to why the Pats made such a low offer if they really wanted Sanders. 

 

Could it just be as simple as this ? 

 

The Steelers could have given Sanders 2.02 million and had a 2nd round tender on him. So maybe the Pats just figured if they (Steelers) wouldn't even pay him 2 mill for 2013 and get a 2nd round pick if he was signed away , why would they match an offer for 2.5 million ? If you think about it , really makes no sense following through Pitts. coarse of action on this player.

 

That makes a little sense, from the Patriots perspective. But it's weird that they'd be willing to give up a third rounder for a player that they're not willing to give a multi-year deal to. That's what's strange to me. Normally an RFA offer sheet isn't just a one year deal, not for a player with a third round tender. So they kind of wanted him, but not really all that much. Just weird. They could have made an offer to any number of unrestricted free agents if that's what they wanted.

 

Back to the Steelers, I think they'd have been better off with the pick. That's just based on my opinion of Sanders vs. what the Steelers could do in the draft to make up for losing him. I guess, all things being equal, it's good to keep a young player with potential.

[dw49]

Actually, the Steelers chose to play the market wisely and let Sanders realize his market value before retaining him. That is how I see it. With changing OCs last year, some continuity made sense after losing Mike Wallace.

 

 

That could be a valid assessment , but I'm just not sure what to make of why the Steelers would just pony up another 500K to begin with. Protect him with a 2nd round compensation pick and avoid all the nonsense. All they accomplished is giving Sanders the difference between the 2nd round tender (2 mill.) and the price (2.5)to match

[amfootball]

???

 

Edelman and Amendola.

I was referring to receivers on the outside. The Pats have done well with slot receivers going back to Troy Brown and then transitioning to Welker.

[amfootball]

Belichick pulled a fast one again with the one year restricted free agent offer to Emmanuel Sanders, for a third round draft pick. This coach is the King of Shennigans, but as he has put the Steelers in a corner, and forced them to use even more cap space to match Sander's offer, obviously I like this one. This guy doesn't miss a trick, as we all know.

My thoughts too on this. I think Belichick did it to force the Steelers to committ and ultimately make them pay more for Sanders then they wanted to. Otherwise they would have offered Sanders more than a one year deal.

[Superman]

I was referring to receivers on the outside. The Pats have done well with slot receivers going back to Troy Brown and then transitioning to Welker.

 

Ah. I think Amendola will do fine wherever he lines up, for what it's worth. So long as he's healthy.

[dw49]

That makes a little sense, from the Patriots perspective. But it's weird that they'd be willing to give up a third rounder for a player that they're not willing to give a multi-year deal to. That's what's strange to me. Normally an RFA offer sheet isn't just a one year deal, not for a player with a third round tender. So they kind of wanted him, but not really all that much. Just weird. They could have made an offer to any number of unrestricted free agents if that's what they wanted.

 

Back to the Steelers, I think they'd have been better off with the pick. That's just based on my opinion of Sanders vs. what the Steelers could do in the draft to make up for losing him. I guess, all things being equal, it's good to keep a young player with potential.

 

 

Yea... I'm pretty much like you on this. Squint a bit and say hmmmm. Here's one more thought. Maybe the Steelers would have taken the 3r rounder if it didn't turn out to be the 29th pick in the 3rd. Pretty much a 4th round pick...

[amfootball]

Ah. I think Amendola will do fine wherever he lines up, for what it's worth. So long as he's healthy.

Yes, me too. The biggest thing for him is earning Brady's trust. I think he will and I think Brady will go to him often. I do hope they line him up the outside some as he has very good speed.

[dw49]

My thoughts too on this. I think Belichick did it to force the Steelers to committ and ultimately make them pay more for Sanders then they wanted to. Otherwise they would have offered Sanders more than a one year deal.

 

 

 

 

 

Na... Bilichick is not going to bring a player in to visit and work through a contract just to make the Steelers pay an extra 500K in a 125 mill salary cap. I think they may have been just plain on the fence and were OK if they signed him or kept their 4th rounder.

[amfootball]

Na... Bilichick is not going to bring a player in to visit and work through a contract just to make the Steelers pay an extra 500K in a 125 mill salary cap. I think they may have been just plain on the fence and were OK if they signed him or kept their 4th rounder.

Still doesn't make a ton of sense. They are very think at WR on the outside. When they commit to someone that they have seen work out and like they usually go all in. This one is a head scratcher.

[dw49]

Still doesn't make a ton of sense. They are very think at WR on the outside. When they commit to someone that they have seen work out and like they usually go all in. This one is a head scratcher.

 

 

 

Almost like NE was saying " We really can't decide and we'll just let Piit make the decision for us."  

[amfootball]

Almost like NE was saying " We really can't decide and we'll just let Piit make the decision for us."  

Seems that way but that is very un-Patriot like. Perhaps they are struggling with who to pick in the draft at WR. Part of me just wishes they would do a trade and send a high draft pick to Chicago for Marshall.

[Superman]

Almost like NE was saying " We really can't decide and we'll just let Piit make the decision for us."  

 

Yeah, and Sanders is saying "I'll get a raise either way, and be a free agent next year." And Pittsburgh is saying "do we want him or the pick?" Just not the way offer sheets usually work out, I don't think.

 

Whatever, much ado about nothing. I don't think Sanders is a difference maker for either team. And aside from the possible draft strategy ramifications there might have been with the Steelers, it doesn't affect the Colts at all. I'm not overly concerned about the Pats/Steelers chess game. Just curious whether Sanders was a pawn, or something else.

[Superman]

Seems that way but that is very un-Patriot like. Perhaps they are struggling with who to pick in the draft at WR. Part of me just wishes they would do a trade and send a high draft pick to Chicago for Marshall.

 

Since when is Marshall available? Of course, everyone has a price, but I think the Bears are quite happy with him...

[amfootball]

Since when is Marshall available? Of course, everyone has a price, but I think the Bears are quite happy with him...

Everyone is available at the right price.

 

Marshall would probably be difficult to steal away but I really think the Pats need to do something along those lines. They have maybe three quallity years left with Brady and their O was nearly unstoppable when they had Moss/Welker. I would like to see them take a number one this year and a lower pick next year and go get someone. Chances are slim to none but that is my wish.