Steelers Match Sandrs Offer

[tapeANaspirin2it]

It's so easy to call this a dumb move when you simply assume the Steelers will just draft TWO rookies who will step in and play immediately.

Why stop there? maybe we can dump Ben's salary and just draft another hall of fame QB in the 5th.

Do you people remember that Wallace is gone, Miller is injured and Brown was a bit disappointing? If Sanders left, then the Steelers would have Brown and that's about it. Cotchery and Plax are just role players.

In that scenario, the Steelers would essentially be forced to take a WR in RD 1. Why? Because they would need not 1 but 2 rookies who could contribute immediately. That likely means WR with 2 of the first 3 picks. That means that Safety or pass rusher, or ILB gets neglected.


The STeelers still need to draft a WR because Sanders may be a 1 year rental. Now they can draft a WR with a high pick and maybe get lucky with a late rounder. Let's say the Steelers do draft 2 WRs and they are both impressive in camp. WHo says you can't trade Sanders away later? Maybe you could get a 2nd rounder for him if a team has an injury and needs an immediate starter.

[skialta]

good thing we have tons of cap space!
great move!!!!
yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


i fucking hate this

[dobre shunka]

Their crappy cap situation put them in this situation to overpay Sanders. If they want any chance to be competitive, they had to match the Pats offer. Sanders is not Wallace, but you can't lose two young WRs in the same off-season and expect to recover quickly with a rookie in the 3rd round. We got lucky with Brown and Sanders is a better option right now than a pot luck rookie. They may have paid him double what they thought he was worth, but they are painted into a corner that they had to make a decision. We can only hope it was the right one and they can move on in a positive direction with it. I'm indifferent about it because I've been dumbfounded how this off-season has gone to this point. Nothing is surprising me anymore. This off-season has been a trying one.

Their crappy cap situation just got crappier. Woulda been less crappy had they R2 tendered him at $2m. I'm sorry, there's no good way to spin this. Morbidly stupid on Colbert's part. Tries to save $600k in cap space by low tendering Sanders, only to end up costing them another $1.2m. This was poorly, poorlly handled. It's like they never considered what they'd do if someone signed him to an offer sheet. And how much more idiotic will it be if/when the Patriots turn their real sites on McClendon, with just one day left in the RFA signing period and the Steelers with no chance of matching? Ham-effin-handed.

[JJ77]

What the fuck was Sanders supposed to step up to at this point in his career? He's been playing behind Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown, who are pretty good WRs, in case you haven't noticed.

You must have an extremely inclusive definition of "fail" because for a number three WR, Emmanuel Sanders has been a very good player.

If you honesty think that letting Sanders go and replacing him with a rookie WR is, beyond the AJ Green/Julio Jones super humans, has nowhere near the production rate you seem to think they do, a viable option of THIS season, I have no idea what to tell you.

LOL, he was a 3rd round pick the same year Brown was picked in the 6th round. They both had the same opportunities, Brown jumped all over his while Sanders has just been below mediocre with his chances.

[Punxsutawney]

How do so many on this board have such a short memory. Of course, there are no guarantees when it comes to rookies, but to say this offense would be in trouble or that a rookie can't contribute... who were the Steelers WR's and what was their experience level when they made the S.B. in '10? As I recall, Ward (obvious experience), Wallace (2nd year), Sanders (ROOKIE), Brown (ROOKIE). Although, Sanders managed to be injured then, as well.

?!

In 2010, Wallace was young, but he wasn't a rookie. There's a huge difference.

Brown made a couple big plays in the post season, but his and Sanders' contributions to the 2010 team were overall minimal.

[JJ77]

Ty Hilton was selected with the 92nd pick last year by the colts and had 50 catches for 861 yards and 7 TDs playing with a rookie QB, not exactly rocket science picking WRs anymore in the draft.

[Punxsutawney]

LOL, he was a 3rd round pick the same year Brown was picked in the 6th round. They both had the same opportunities, Brown jumped all over his while Sanders has just been below mediocre with his chances.

Like I said, you definition of sucks/below average is very broad based.

You're basically saying that just because he isn't as good as Wallace and Brown, he must suck the sausage. I see holes in that logic.

[Punxsutawney]

Ty Hilton was selected with the 92nd pick last year by the colts and had 50 catches for 861 yards and 7 TDs playing with a rookie QB, not exactly rocket science picking WRs anymore in the draft.

He was also receiving passes from Andrew Luck, who may very well be in the conversation for the best QB ever in 10 years.

On average, rookie WRs have nowhere near the success rate you imply they do.

[Wingman]

Losing Sanders would have seriously compromised the Steelers' ability to compete in 2013. Even if he leaves next offseason, it's still the right move.

The Steelers are still going to draft a WR with one of their first three picks, but this way they will not be dependent on getting a significant contribution from the rookie.

We have repeatedly lost him due to injury since he has been here. His production has been nothing spectacular. Wallace and brown both contributed more every year they were here including their rookie years. We may loose him next year and not get a draft pick. This year we could have a draft pick when there are lots of receivers available that could have been as good for less money. I think this is another stoke of genius like Tomlins "fantastic" clock management. I hope I am wrong but I feel like we paid a lot for something we will not have for very long.

[JJ77]

He is a dime a dozen NFL WR, average speed and hands, no physicality, often injured and soft. With him playing the outside WR we are dead in the water this year, he can't take off the top of the defense and can't beat press coverage, oh well.

Tell me exactly what he has done to show that he is more than a mediocre WR

[JJ77]

Andrew Luck completely a hoirrible 54.1% of his passes for an awful 76.5 QB rating. 10 years from now does nothing to change the fact Hilton excelled with a below average NFL passer in 2012.

[dobre shunka]

It's so easy to call this a dumb move

Yes it is. Dumb.

Do you people remember that Wallace is gone, Miller is injured and Brown was a bit disappointing? If Sanders left, then the Steelers would have Brown and that's about it. Cotchery and Plax are just role players.

Yeah, those are all very good points of consideration...... a month and a half ago when you're trying to determine risk versus cost for the purpose of deciding which tender to apply

In that scenario, the Steelers would essentially be forced to take a WR in RD 1. Why? Because they would need not 1 but 2 rookies who could contribute immediately. That likely means WR with 2 of the first 3 picks. That means that Safety or pass rusher, or ILB gets neglected.

Yeah, and why would they be faced with that scenario and who put them in it? If this was all too scarey to allow to come to be, then they might ought to part with the extra $600k and R2 tender him. That's where this was effed.

I'm not upset with retaining Sanders. I wouldn't have been upset with him leaving either. It is aggravating tho how poorly thought this whole mess was/is, how reactionary they are, and absent any evidence of a rudder. They gambled no one would sign Sanders to an offer sheet. If you're going to risk losing Sanders, you have to be willing to lose him at an agreeable cost. If you're not, and they absolutely clearly were not, then they have to lessen the risk by increasing the tender. There's no way to paint this as anything but a goatscrewing.

[lasteel]

It's a matter of time before a team tenders McClendon who plays a 3-4 now, without loss of compensation.

[Patriot 37]

Interesting most of the Steeler fans are pissed about matching the offer. On the Patriots sites the fans are pissed (me included) 2.5 for one year seems like a good deal to keep J Cotchery from being your #2. I guess aour number 2 is Edelman, not pretty. I think the Steelers made the right move.

[Punxsutawney]

Tell me exactly what he has done to show that he is more than a mediocre WR

I cannot, as given Sanders' role as exclusively a slot WR to this point, it is all speculation.

However, I will say that many, including myself, thought Hines Ward's lack of long speed would prevent him from becoming a premiere WR in the NFL.

With that said, I just find it curious that you so dismiss Sanders ability to be a team's top two WR, given that he has yet been asked to fill that role.

[JJ77]

He was drafted HIGHER than Brown and given more chances to succeed due to the investment and yet was bypassed by a 6th round pick. Nothing in his resume shows he is anything more than a mediocre, soft player. Hines was an afterthought and had WRs picked with the #1 pick, Edwards and Burress but by his 3rd year Hines had already outshined them both and was firmly entrenched as the starter. Sanders has never beat out a #1 pick and has been outshined by a 6th round pick, pretty easy to discern who is a mediocre player.

[FordFairLane]

Besides the fact what Brown produces will gauge this move what or who is available at #91 and what they become and if the steelers can lock up Brown will also. If Brown doesn't extend and we would have had an opportunity to draft a very good receiver to a cap friendly contract this will horrible. If Brown extends and flourishes this will look great.

My problem is the steelers have a lot of holes not a lot of picks or cap space to fill them. This move hurts their cap space and a potential loss of a good third round player. Time will tell but this could bite them in the ass.

[Punxsutawney]

He was drafted HIGHER than Brown and given more chances to succeed due to the investment and yet was bypassed by a 6th round pick. Nothing in his resume shows he is anything more than a mediocre, soft player. Hines was an afterthought and had WRs picked with the #1 pick, Edwards and Burress but by his 3rd year Hines had already outshined them both and was firmly entrenched as the starter. Sanders has never beat out a #1 pick and has been outshined by a 6th round pick, pretty easy to discern who is a mediocre player.

Again, your logic sucks. Just because Sanders is inferior to Brown and Wallace does not mean he is incompetent as a number two WR, as I consider both Wallace and Brown to be top 15 WRs in he NFL

[Superman]

IF a team were to sign McLendon to a contract, we'd still have 5 days to match, right?
I realize the draft is in 10 days, and I'd make a guess that teams would have to offer a contract to McLendon within a certain window.

so, if McLendon is tendered a contract, couldn't we extend someone and match? wouldn't the smart thing to do now be to get McLendon to sign a long-term contract with a low salary this year...or can that be done?

[cpollock]

Besides the fact what Brown produces will gauge this move what or who is available at #91 and what they become and if the steelers can lock up Brown will also. If Brown doesn't extend and we would have had an opportunity to draft a very good receiver to a cap friendly contract this will horrible. If Brown extends and flourishes this will look great.

My problem is the steelers have a lot of holes not a lot of picks or cap space to fill them. This move hurts their cap space and a potential loss of a good third round player. Time will tell but this could bite them in the ass.

Brown is already locked up .. he signed a contact extension last year