RFA Emmanuel Sanders visits Pats 3/16; signs offer sheet 4/10, sheet matched 4/14

[FoxboroFlyer]

Everything I read says that Colon had a $5.5 million salary for the Steelers

Ed: Harrison Cap No. An Easy Fix

Joe Linta, the agent for Willie Colon, says the Steelers have told him they currently plan to do nothing with his contract at the moment and they have not asked for a reduction. Colon is due a salary of $5.5 million this year.

is one such example

I did see an article somewhere that said they already received a 1.5 mil. Credit, but the other 4 comes in June.

 

[borisman]

I wouldnt put much stock in the one year deal, This deal is solely written so that the Steelers won't match it, because if they do, he can leave in Free Agency at the end of the year. I'm assuming that their is a wink and nod agreement on a longer contract that will amazingly materialize once this season is over.

Totally agree. If they match, he walks at year's end. If they don't match they get a third this year. That is their dilemma.

 

[jmt57]

Pittsburgh will easily match that offer. I don't follow the Patriots logic in making such a tepid offer if they truly want Sanders.

Look at it the other way: if Sanders is not a $4 million player, then why should the Patriots offer him $4 million?

To me it would make less logic to offer a player more than what you value him. same goes for any other negotiations, whether it be re-signing your own players or making an offer to an unrestricted free agent.

 

[lillloyd]

Tweet from Adam Schefter:


The offer sheet that Steelers RFA Emmanuel Sanders signed is worth $2.5 million. Steelers choice: match or get NE's third-round pick by Sun.

If true, this just gets more puzzling. Why not offer more? Pitt, for all their cap woes, wouldn't have to do much at all to squeeze this in.

At this number maybe Pitt should match.

Then again maybe it's all part of a grand BB scheme to get Pitt to eat their remaining cap room so the Pats can sign Steve McClendon (LOL)

 

[Don_the_patfan]

Pittsburgh will easily match that offer. I don't follow the Patriots logic in making such a tepid offer if they truly want Sanders.

Below is the answer to your question:

Jason La Canfora ‏@JasonLaCanfora 10m
Keep in mind, with a RFA offer sheet, Pats could extend Sanders' deal if they landed him, but only if the cap # goes up. Hence low salary

 

[Claremonster]

Ed Werder ✔ @Edwerderespn Expect Steelers to match Patriots offer sheet and retain WR Emmanual Sanders. He's vital after loss of Mike Wallace and offer easy to match

 

[Claremonster]

Pittsburgh will easily match that offer. I don't follow the Patriots logic in making such a tepid offer if they truly want Sanders.

To screw the Steelers cap space further. That's what I'm thinking.

I wouldn't doubt that he will stay a Steeler.

 

[jmt57]

Two comments from Ian Rapoport:

The Patriots offer sheet for Emmanuel Sanders is 1-year, $2.5M, I'm told. Clever. Steelers have $1.9M in salary cap space.


Will the Steelers match the 1-year, $2.5M offer for Sanders? Source: "It'll go down to the wire." Pittsburgh has five days.​

 

[Miguel]

I did see an article somewhere that said they already received a 1.5 mil. Credit, but the other 4 comes in June.

Let me explain what I think is happening

Colon's cap number is $7.65 million which is made of a
$5.5 million salary
$2.15 signing bonus proration.

If the Steelers had release him without designating him as a June 2 release he would have counted $6.45 million against the Steelers cap (2.15 *3)

$7.65 - $6.45 = $1.2 million.

Colon is now counting $7.65 million against the Steelers cap.

But on June 2nd he will count $2.15 million in dead money in 2013 and $4.3 million in 2014.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Pittsburgh will easily match that offer. I don't follow the Patriots logic in making such a tepid offer if they truly want Sanders.

It's not that simple. The Steelers have only 2m of cap space. The pats offer is 2.5m. So the steelers need to cut or restructure someone to match. The reason the deal isn't multi-year is so that the Steelers can't backload the contract and fit it under the cap. Basically the Pats are forcing the Steelers to make a choice - take the 3rd round pick, or do some contract juggling/cut someone to be able to match the Sanders offer sheet.

Hopefully the Steelers blink and take the draft pick instead. They usually reload via the draft anyways.

 

[JMC00]

Ed Werder ✔ @Edwerderespn Expect Steelers to match Patriots offer sheet and retain WR Emmanual Sanders. He's vital after loss of Mike Wallace and offer easy to match

10 minutes later

Ed Werder ‏@Edwerderespn
What could prevent Steelers from matching Pats on Emmanual Sanders? Only 3 teams have less cap space. Pick No. 91 may tempt GM Kevin Colbert

 

[Froob]

Even if they don't get Sanders, screwing the steelers is a nice move. Wish the cap number was a bit higher.

 

[Claremonster]

To screw the Steelers cap space further. That's what I'm thinking.

I wouldn't doubt that he will stay a Steeler.

Plus, BB signed Edelman to a 1 yr contract also.

BB is screwing with the Steelers.

 

[Miguel]

Two comments from Ian Rapoport:

The Patriots offer sheet for Emmanuel Sanders is 1-year, $2.5M, I'm told. Clever. Steelers have $1.9M in salary cap space.​

Here's hoping that Rapoport knows that Sanders is already counting $1.323 million against the Steelers cap.

Is he worth another $1.177 million in cap space and the possibility that he walks in 2014?

 

[Claremonster]

10 minutes later

Ed Werder ‏@Edwerderespn
What could prevent Steelers from matching Pats on Emmanual Sanders? Only 3 teams have less cap space. Pick No. 91 may tempt GM Kevin Colbert

They could still restructure some of their players contracts to get it done. It wouldn't be that difficult.

 

[FoxboroFlyer]

Let me explain what I think is happening

Colon's cap number is $7.65 million which is made of a
$5.5 million salary
$2.15 signing bonus proration.

If the Steelers had release him without designating him as a June 2 release he would have counted $6.45 million against the Steelers cap (2.15 *3)

$7.65 - $6.45 = $1.2 million.

Colon is now counting $7.65 million against the Steelers cap.

But on June 2nd he will count $2.15 million in dead money in 2013 and $4.3 million in 2014.

Oh, that makes sense.
Thanks, for the break down miguel.

 

[lillloyd]

Look at it the other way: if Sanders is not a $4 million player, then why should the Patriots offer him $4 million?

To me it would make less logic to offer a player more than what you value him. same goes for any other negotiations, whether it be re-signing your own players or making an offer to an unrestricted free agent.

This makes sense I guess--they're making a tepid offer because they have only moderate interest, and will have him at a low price but no more. BUT what's strange is that they're also willing to part with the 3rd rounder, which seems inconsistent with this... The offer seems like "flyer" money on a UFA vet, but Sanders' RFA status and the associated draft pick would seem (?) to indicate significant interest. And if there's significant interest why not just offer more (it's just a one-year dear after all) to make it more painful for Pitt to match?

The whole thing just seems odd to me. One thing's for sure, I wouldn't feel super-confident if I were Sanders and ultimately ended up in NE--basically NE would have said they want me on a low-cost, trial basis only, and Pitt will have effectively said that they value an unknown #91 draft pick more than me.

 

[Don Kipines]

The Pats probably don't have a whole lot of cap room left, remember.

They were at around $10m before the Kelly deal, which is supposedly $2m this year, $3m next year. So even if Edelman is a vet min deal, Kelly plus Sanders would bring them down to $5.5 million. If they're still even thinking about bringing in someone like Abraham, there's even less room.

In this environment, $2.5 million isn't big money, but it isn't a total nothing-burger either. It certainly won't be an easy choice for Pittsburgh.

 

[FoxboroFlyer]

Here's hoping that Rapoport knows that Sanders is already counting $1.323 million against the Steelers cap.

Is he worth another $1.177 million in cap space and the possibility that he walks in 2014?

Sadly, reading that tweet leads me to believe he has no clue what he's talking about, and is unaware of that small detail.

 

[jmt57]

This makes sense I guess--they're making a tepid offer because they have only moderate interest, and will have him at a low price but no more. BUT what's strange is that they're also willing to part with the 3rd rounder, which seems inconsistent with this... The offer seems like "flyer" money on a UFA vet, but Sanders' RFA status and the associated draft pick would seem (?) to indicate significant interest. And if there's significant interest why not just offer more (it's just a one-year dear after all) to make it more painful for Pitt to match?

The whole thing just seems odd to me. One thing's for sure, I wouldn't feel super-confident if I were Sanders and ultimately ended up in NE--basically NE would have said they want me on a low-cost, trial basis only, and Pitt will have effectively said that they value an unknown #91 draft pick more than me.

I'm thinking the fact that the Pats would also lose that 3rd round pick has a lot to do with what would appear to be the relatively low offer, as it would be part of what they are giving up to sign him. They see the value of $2.5 million of cap space, plus the value of a 3rd round pick. If he was an unrestricted free agent then they likely would offer more.

As for it only being a one-year offer, perhaps that was because it would be that much easier for the Steelers to match a long term deal? With a longer contract more of the money could be pushed off to future years; with this offer it is more difficult for the Steelers to match it.



FWIW, there is also this from Albert Breer:

Circled back and checked on incentives or anything else attached to the Sanders offer sheet ... Nothing. Just a one-year, $2.5M deal​

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