OT: Emmanual Sanders Hasn't Had Contract Talks With 49ers

[Ian]

Interesting news:

49ers' Emmanuel Sanders says he hasn't had contract talks with team

Looks like he may not be back as San Francisco is in tough shape cap-wise, with Kittle among players who are expected to sign big deals.

Should be interesting to see how it plays out. Definitely still wish New England had gotten him when they tried to steal him from Pittsburgh when he was a restricted free agent. Like many others in here, I wouldn't be disappointed to see him ultimately finally end up here.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

OMG!!! The team hates him/he hates the team! Let’s get Darlington and Schefter to handicap all the teams he might go to and ESPN can project what he looks like in all 32 uniforms.

 

[TheRainMaker]

I don't think the 49ers sign him as he started fading out towards the end of the seaon.

Pats had two chances to get him but didn't do it. I think the ship has sailed with him now being another year older.

 

[Ian]

I know it's been discussed by many but like quite a few others, I'm certainly curious to see how free agency turns out when it comes to their ability to draw key players if Brady isn't here anymore. All of a sudden, that part obviously gets really difficult. I think defensive guys might want to come here given Belichick's history on that side of the football, but I'm wondering how that dynamic is going to affect them with either Stidham or potentially someone like Dalton or Mariota as potential starters (gasp)

 

[Ian]

I don't think the 49ers sign him as he started fading out towards the end of the seaon.

Pats had two chances to get him but didn't do it. I think the ship has sailed with him now being another year older.

I would have to agree with you. They missed out on him in his prime and he even said in January he might have been a Hall of Fame receiver he played his entire career here. It's frustrating because he sort of ultimately ended up more or less just using New England as leverage to a certain extent, especially since they were the ones who helped him initially get more money in Pittsburgh to begin with.

 

[Ian]

It's funny, I forgot the first time they missed out on him was in the offseason of 2013, which was when Welker walked and they signed Amendola. Back then, they didn't know what Edelman was about to become and they potentially could have had Sanders, Amendola, Edelman and Gronk. That would have been a pretty formidable group who would have been together for a while...

 

[TheRainMaker]

I would have to agree with you. They missed out on him in his prime and he even said in January he might have been a Hall of Fame receiver he played his entire career here. It's frustrating because he sort of ultimately ended up more or less just using New England as leverage to a certain extent, especially since they were the ones who helped him initially get more money in Pittsburgh to begin with.

What Pittsburgh did in 2013 was purely out of spite. They had no intentions of signing him long term. He had told Ryan Clark that Steelers management really low balled him and Sanders asked why? They told him they wouldn't up the offer because he's "no Antonio Brown"

However, they Pats had another chance in 2014 but d***ed around and lost out on him again.

Emmanuel Sanders nearly signed with Patriots

 

[Ian]

What Pittsburgh did in 2013 was purely out of spite. However, they again had a chance in 2014 but d***ed around and lost out on him again.

Emmanuel Sanders nearly signed with Patriots

Ugh ...

Sanders > LaFell

Completely forgot about that.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate what LaFell contributed as he did help them win a title. But I feel like Sanders could have replicated that production and I'd like to think wouldn't have fallen off a cliff after that season.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Ugh ...

Sanders > LaFell

Completely forgot about that.

LaFell had a big catch against Baltimore in 2014 playoffs. But yeah, pretty painful.

 

[Triumph]

Interesting news:

49ers' Emmanuel Sanders says he hasn't had contract talks with team

Looks like he may not be back as San Francisco is in tough shape cap-wise, with Kittle among players who are expected to sign big deals.

Should be interesting to see how it plays out. Definitely still wish New England had gotten him when they tried to steal him from Pittsburgh when he was a restricted free agent. Like many others in here, I wouldn't be disappointed to see him ultimately finally end up here.

The Steelers drafted Sanders and AB in the same draft.

They could throw a dart at the wall and hit on a a Stud WR.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

The Steelers drafted Sanders and AB in the same draft.

They could throw a dart at the wall and hit on a a Stud WR.

Steelers receivers are good if they’re athletic, which is emphasized over brains, considering their QB is a Neanderthal. Patriots offense is consistently better than the Steelers offense though. Steelers offense is always boom or bust.

 

[Ian]

The Steelers drafted Sanders and AB in the same draft.

They could throw a dart at the wall and hit on a a Stud WR.

Yeah...the Steelers have been pretty successful with that position. That's been the one area where this team has had little success and the results definitely speak for themselves. Although it's bizarre, everyone one of them has simply been snakebitten with some injury that killed off their careers. From Aaron Dobson (foot) to Malcolm Mitchell (knee), it's been crazy. Last season saw N'Keal Harry also go down and he never really got back on track. One can hope that a full offseason of recovery will help him take a step forward this season. It definitely makes you wonder how a team can really be that unlucky.

But man...they just haven't caught any breaks at all. Dobson wasn't as bad as people made him out to be and it was injuries that ultimately derailed him. We know what Mitchell was...that was disappointing. And those are just the higher-picked guys recently who at least sort of contributed. The guys who were each busts - who I won't get into here - are an entirely different story.

But it's pretty insane how little luck they've really had there compared to other teams.

 

[primetime]

The Steelers have had their share of Limas Sweeds, but they've drafted a lot of receivers and hit big on a few and really big on one. Receiver is weird. All you need to do is hit big on one (e.g. Edelman) and it tides you over for a decade.

Sanders seems like a guy who will overvalue himself. He's coming off an $11m a year contract and a Super Bowl appearance, but he's 33 and has a recent Achilles tear and wasn't actually all that great this past season. (The Niners were in a worse position than the Patriots when it came to receivers at the trade deadline.)

 

[Deus Irae]

I look at the Patriots offense right now, and I'm really not sure what the hell I'm seeing. But I'm sure that I don't like it. With Brady essentially a FA, we're currently looking at:

No QB
1 Wr, with the possibility of another depending on a post-op bounce back
No TE
Questionable RB1
Question marks at every single OL position
FBs who might, or might not, be coming back after season ending injuries

Realistically, the only position that's not a problem or question is the 3dRB spot.



And, given that, I hope that this team is keeping a very watchful eye on players like Sanders. But, having said that, "players like Sanders" doesn't necessarily mean Sanders himself.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Ugh ...

Sanders > LaFell

Completely forgot about that.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate what LaFell contributed as he did help them win a title. But I feel like Sanders could have replicated that production and I'd like to think wouldn't have fallen off a cliff after that season.

If we got Sanders in 2014, we possibly win SB 50...certainly it would have been enough to win the AFCCG. And Denver wouldn't have won that year without Sanders.

 

[Ian]

If we got Sanders in 2014, we possibly win SB 50...certainly it would have been enough to win the AFCCG. And Denver wouldn't have won that year without Sanders.

That's a good point. I'll lob one back at you - I was sitting here thinking if they added Sanders the previous season (2013), would Edelman have gotten enough opportunities to eventually break out the way he did after Amendola got hurt? Or would Sanders' playing time affected Edelman's snaps negatively enough to the point he might not have been who is today?

 

[Chevy]

That's a good point. I'll lob one back at you - I was sitting here thinking if they added Sanders the previous season (2013), would Edelman have gotten enough opportunities to eventually break out the way he did after Amendola got hurt? Or would Sanders' playing time affected Edelman's snaps negatively enough to the point he might not have been who is today?

I think he would have. A big chunk of JE's appeal early on was his work ethic. The guy was a QB who got moved to receiver and special teams, so he had a lot to learn. He never quit, put in the time, and just continued to get better.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

That's a good point. I'll lob one back at you - I was sitting here thinking if they added Sanders the previous season (2013), would Edelman have gotten enough opportunities to eventually break out the way he did after Amendola got hurt? Or would Sanders' playing time affected Edelman's snaps negatively enough to the point he might not have been who is today?

and here’s another one right back at you. if sanders plays for us in 2017, do the pats beat the eagles, especially with edelman hurt?

 

[supafly]

Lots of “what ifs” regarding Sanders’ former years, but I’m focusing on what he can do here in the future. For the right money, sure, but that’s going to be a debate in itself; and if Brady isn’t coming back, they’d really have to up their offer to attract free agent WRs worth anything.

If they’re smart, they’ll try and trade for someone now. That could potentially help to lure Brady (change his mind, if the rejection stories of last year’s multi year deal are true), but more importantly, it can guarantee an actual receiving threat while there’s still uncertainty about the QB position. Once it’s Stidham and a rookie, WRs are probably going to be more hesitant about coming to NEngland.

 

[Triumph]

Steelers receivers are good if they’re athletic, which is emphasized over brains, considering their QB is a Neanderthal. Patriots offense is consistently better than the Steelers offense though. Steelers offense is always boom or bust.

Not accurate. 2001 NFL OFFENSIVE EFFICIENCY RATINGS | Football Outsiders

YR..NE-------PITT
18 5th.........6th
17 1st.........3rd
16 2nd.......7th
15 5th........3rd
14 6th.......2nd
13 4th.......12th
12 1st........19th
11 3rd........6th
10 1st.........5th
09 1st.........9th
08 7th........21st
07 1st.........9th
06 4th.........9th
05 7th.........8th
04 3rd.........8th
03 14th...... 19th
02 9th.........12th
01 11th........4th

Steelers offense has been ranked in the top 10 13 seasons out of 18 @ 72% success rate. 2 of the worst offensive seasons had Tommy Maddox behind Center. If thats boom or bust then I will take it every day of the week.