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

[FoxboroFlyer]

sanders is a very versatile player...can help tom brady out in this O

So THIS is the ever elusive wr that can learn the patriot offense?

He was the slot wr in pittsburgh. As far as game film making him versatile...not sure where that is coming from.

Has to be projected versatility.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

So THIS is the ever elusive wr that can learn the patriot offense?

he will have to as i don't think pitt will match. Amendola Sanders Gronk Hernandez Edleman ect ect. Plenty of weapons. Again i love this move :rocker:

He was the slot wr in pittsburgh

Look at who was ahead of him..wallace and brown.....

I get it..you hate the move. But he will be a great fit here IMO

 

[Sciz]

Agree.
I do not understand all the optimism on this move from posters, when the steelers are in just as bad shape at wr, yet they aren't concerned ( probably happy) to give up their "#2" wr, for a 3rd round pick.

Should tell people something when a wr neeedy team like pitt would allow their #2 to walk...cause he isn't what some here think he is, that's why.

It's not quite that simple. I think the biggest problem, rather than letting Sanders go, is the chance that they pay him $2.5M for one year and then he leaves in free agency a year later. The Steelers continue to be in cap hell in 2014 (currently have $80M tied up in seven players), and unless they anticipate being a Super Bowl contender next season (which isn't happening) or being able to re-sign Sanders next offseason, then they're better off letting him go and getting the third for him while they can. They need to bite the bullet and field a slightly less competitive team so they can start fixing their future, and this would be a good step in that direction.

 

[moosekill]

Agree.
I do not understand all the optimism on this move from posters, when the steelers are in just as bad shape at wr, yet they aren't concerned ( probably happy) to give up their "#2" wr, for a 3rd round pick.

Should tell people something when a wr neeedy team like pitt would allow their #2 to walk...cause he isn't what some here think he is, that's why.

Pittsburg is in a very bad cap situation. They have to decide how to use their limited resources. They can match have him for a year then lose him forever, or let him walk, save some money and get a third round pick. The Patriots aren't in as bad a situation as Pitt is with the cap and probably thinks 1. they can sign him to a long term contract 2. He will help them more than a 3rd round draft pick will.

With a relatively hard salary cap, teams have to make tough choices. Sanders is a tough choice for Pitt.

 

[FoxboroFlyer]

he will have to as i don't think pitt will match. Amendola Sanders Gronk Hernandez Edleman ect ect. Plenty of weapons. Again i love this move :rocker:



Look at who was ahead of him..wallace and brown.....

I get it..you hate the move. But he will be a great fit here IMO

To each their own, and I hope you are right.

I still believe you are about to be sorely disappointed though (imo).

 

[ausbacker]

To each their own, and I hope you are right.

I still believe you are about to be sorely disappointed though (imo).

This group is better than the collection of pass catching players Brady was forced to play with in 2006. For mine, the improvement needs to come from the D (overall) and the O (in critical playoff moments).

 

[The Scrizz]

Jason Cole writes that many executives around the league believe the Pats already have a long term deal in place with Sanders and only issued him an one year tender so the Steelers can match it. Obviously, he and his quotes come just short of accusing Belichick of underhanded maneuvering.





Y! SPORTS

Granted Rotoworld didn't have any problem crossing over the line of accusing the Pats of dirty pool:




Emmanuel Sanders - Pittsburgh Steelers - 2013 Player Profile - Rotoworld.com

Those exec's are geniuses. I came up with that within 10 minutes of hearing it was a 1 year deal.

Dirty pool. These are the same morons who ***** about the Tuck Rule still. BB knows the rulebook better than the refs and he probably knows the CBA better than the lawyers who wrote it.

Anyone who adheres to some fictional 'code' that you don't do things like pick up another team's player on waivers (see Ballard) are morons. If you're more worried about what the other coaches are going to think of you than making your team better then you should be fired immediately. Dumb people like these codes because it would theoretically level the field. They don't need to know every word in the CBA because if they make an 'oopsie' the other teams will just let it slide.

Of course BB does everything with the goal of making the team better even if it makes him look like a prick. People don't like people who are smarter than them. It's that simple.

 

[patfanken]

I have no idea why these national mediots would paint the Pats as being anything but brilliant if they already have a multi-year deal in place with Sanders. There is absolutely NOTHING unethical about using the rules as they are written. They'd be fools if they didn't.

Being smart...within the rules, is simply good management. It should be pointed out to mediots like Cole, that unless they want to be exposed as simply haters with an agenda, they shouldn't draw any negative implications from what the Pats do. Its not in the least unethical, as long as the multi year deal is equal to or higher than the original deal.

In the same vein the Steelers shouldn't be rewarded for not managing their cap well the last few years. All that being said, I'm still not that sure where I stand on this. I don't think I'll be pissed if the Steelers end up matching, but I won't be happy either. The kid has great promise, but there's not doubting the injury risk and the sometimes inconsistent play,

It will certainly be an interesting few days.

 

[Ivan]

Agree.
I do not understand all the optimism on this move from posters, when the steelers are in just as bad shape at wr, yet they aren't concerned ( probably happy) to give up their "#2" wr, for a 3rd round pick.

Should tell people something when a wr neeedy team like pitt would allow their #2 to walk...cause he isn't what some here think he is, that's why.

The Dolphins weren't deep at WR when they took a 2nd and 7th for Welker. Let's hope this is half as good.

 

[JMC00]

Dirty pool. These are the same morons who ***** about the Tuck Rule still. BB knows the rulebook better than the refs and he probably knows the CBA better than the lawyers who wrote it.

Anyone who adheres to some fictional 'code' that you don't do things like pick up another team's player on waivers (see Ballard) are morons. If you're more worried about what the other coaches are going to think of you than making your team better then you should be fired immediately. Dumb people like these codes because it would theoretically level the field. They don't need to know every word in the CBA because if they make an 'oopsie' the other teams will just let it slide.
.

“First of all, there aren’t any unwrittens’’
- Bill Belichick June 2012

I think BB summed it up best. If it isn't against the rules then it is fair game.

 

[patsfan-1982]

he's a young deion branch I hope the pats get him and with Edelman back the pats now have a good young core of mid level WR's to go with there two stars TE's the pass offense should be great

 

[BPF]

Cole also needs to do some fact checking, he writes "In the 20-year history of free agency, it's believed that there's never been a restricted free agent to receive a one-year deal from a new club." Let's see I can name four, all signed to offer sheets by Pats coincidentally (DL Rodney Bailey in 2004, DL Cedric Woodard in 2003, LB Mike Maslowski in 2002 & RB Chris Fumatu-Ma'afala in 2001 ---- all 1-yr offer sheets).

 

[strngplyr]

Pittsburg is in a very bad cap situation. They have to decide how to use their limited resources. They can match have him for a year then lose him forever, or let him walk, save some money and get a third round pick. The Patriots aren't in as bad a situation as Pitt is with the cap and probably thinks 1. they can sign him to a long term contract 2. He will help them more than a 3rd round draft pick will.

With a relatively hard salary cap, teams have to make tough choices. Sanders is a tough choice for Pitt.

This.

What we are doing is either trading for Sanders with the likely intention to then extend him, or, we are forcing Pitt to give him a 1.2m raise only to lose him to free agency next season.

Pitt has 7 players count for 80m against the cap next season, that doesn't leave room for Sanders in their future most likely without a Jets/Ravens-like player exodus.

This isn't about whether Pittsburgh values Sanders or not, it's about what they can or can't actually afford to do. He's leaving to free agency next season regardless of what happens right now.

 

[Brady2Moss]

The chances that BB gives a sht what others think are about the same as Brady2Moss praising this move....zero.

Nice shot there, maybe you should read post 304 before spewing garbage again.

 

[mgteich]

So, because we had weaker wide receivers in 2006, we should have weakened last year's passing game. How does that follow?

Perhaps we should cut McCourty because Smith, Smith, Gregory and Ebner are better than what we had one year.

I recall when we a linebacker corps with Monty Beisel starting. Perhaps, we should cut Highertower and Mayo.
======

BOTTOM LINE
There is a very good reason for every business decision regarding the 2013 receiving corps. NOT ONE had anything to do with 2006. NOT ONE was a purposeful weakening of the team, no matter how it looks so far. Perhaps, we should at least wait until after the draft, perhaps even until camp, to assess who we have. However, we are going into the draft and it is time to assess draft needs. Looking at what we have, I think that we need 2 receivers.

This group is better than the collection of pass catching players Brady was forced to play with in 2006. For mine, the improvement needs to come from the D (overall) and the O (in critical playoff moments).

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I have no idea why these national mediots would paint the Pats as being anything but brilliant if they already have a multi-year deal in place with Sanders. There is absolutely NOTHING unethical about using the rules as they are written. They'd be fools if they didn't.

Being smart...within the rules, is simply good management. It should be pointed out to mediots like Cole, that unless they want to be exposed as simply haters with an agenda, they shouldn't draw any negative implications from what the Pats do. Its not in the least unethical, as long as the multi year deal is equal to or higher than the original deal.

In the same vein the Steelers shouldn't be rewarded for not managing their cap well the last few years. All that being said, I'm still not that sure where I stand on this. I don't think I'll be pissed if the Steelers end up matching, but I won't be happy either. The kid has great promise, but there's not doubting the injury risk and the sometimes inconsistent play,

It will certainly be an interesting few days.

Of course, it cuts both ways: the Steelers could, theoretically, match the offer, and then decide to give him extra years.

 

[Triumph]

Agree.
I do not understand all the optimism on this move from posters, when the steelers are in just as bad shape at wr, yet they aren't concerned ( probably happy) to give up their "#2" wr, for a 3rd round pick.

Should tell people something when a wr neeedy team like pitt would allow their #2 to walk...cause he isn't what some here think he is, that's why.

I doubt Pitt would be pleased to lose a player theyve invested in and who very well be on the cusp of breaking out. Sanders is a proven commodity at this point. Sanders 2012 numbers could be very decieving since Rothliberger wasnt healthy the whole season missing games and Todd Haley was installing a new offense.

Wide receiver: The Steelers would be in trouble if they lost Sanders to the Patriots. With only role players left in free agency, Pittsburgh would be forced to turn to the draft to find another playmaker at receiver. If Sanders remains, which I predict will ultimately happen, he'll team with Antonio Brown for one of the quickest receiver tandems in the league.

Big questions facing Big Ben and Steelers - AFC North Blog - ESPN

 

[ausbacker]

So, because we had weaker wide receivers in 2006, we should have weakened last year's passing game. How does that follow?

Perhaps we should cut McCourty because Smith, Smith, Gregory and Ebner are better than what we had one year.

I recall when we a linebacker corps with Monty Beisel starting. Perhaps, we should cut Highertower and Mayo.
======

BOTTOM LINE
There is a very good reason for every business decision regarding the 2013 receiving corps. NOT ONE had anything to do with 2006. NOT ONE was a purposeful weakening of the team, no matter how it looks so far. Perhaps, we should at least wait until after the draft, perhaps even until camp, to assess who we have. However, we are going into the draft and it is time to assess draft needs. Looking at what we have, I think that we need 2 receivers.

Where exactly did I say that? I was making reference to the fact that this current group is better than what Brady had in 2006. Don't put words in my mouth and don't bother misrepresenting a simple point. The team still has the opportunity to improve this group, something I am hopeful they will do.

 

[FilPats]

The 1 year aspect of the deal actually works kind of like a poison pill because it ends up a 1 year rental for the Steelers at a price they probably don't want to pay. The third rounder has to be tempting to the Steelers in this scenario. interesting approach by the Patriots.

I think this comment sums it all. Go Pats:rocker:

 

[Nunchucks]

The Steelers are in a "bridge year" as they are retooling on the fly. Losing Sanders would hurt them, but chances are they will not be able to resign him next season. This means that a 3rd round pick may be preferable to controlling the player for 1 more year.