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

[kennyb]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

No offer from Sanders mouth means hes has an offer.

The Pats usually like to keep famliy business under wrap while in negotiations.

So if he says he has an offer, then he has an offer.

If he says he doesn't have an offer, then he has an offer.

Basically it's impossible for him not to have an offer.

Why?

Give up a 3rd and pay a high salary to an oft injured #3 wide receiver who is rumored to have foot problems? No thanks.

 

[Paul_Newman]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

So if he says he has an offer, then he has an offer.

If he says he doesn't have an offer, then he has an offer.

Basically it's impossible for him not to have an offer.

Why?

Give up a 3rd and pay a high salary to an oft injured #3 wide receiver who is rumored to have foot problems? No thanks.

The draft is bad. Sanders is way better than any receiver you'll find in the 3rd.

 

[Paul_Newman]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

No offer from Sanders mouth means hes has an offer.

The Pats usually like to keep famliy business under wrap while in negotiations.

They're just trying to ensure they can make the best offer the Steelers can't match.

If they show their hand too soon, the Steelers might match. Hopefully they take the bait, and sign Breaston(like they've been looking at), or Lloyd even.

Leaving it open for the Pats to low ball him without fear of the Steelers matching.

They're definitely interested in signing him. They got only two receivers under contract.

By the way, there's no offer. The Patriots have to notify the Steelers of an offer. The fact the Steelers have said there's not been one, means there's hasn't been.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

Not to mention rookie receivers almost never have immediate impacts of other positional players.

Randy Moss, Anquan Bolden, Larry Fitzgerald, and more recently...AJ Green and Torrey Smith.

 

[RIpats88]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

you use Picks to acquire players...whether that is in the draft or through trades it doesnt matter.

I dont think you will find a WR of Sanders' quality in the 3rd round...and the pats have had their share of busts in the 3rd round.

besides, theres no other quality starting WR's out there right now for the taking. Sanders could be that deep threat the pats are looking for.


and I think they will get him IMO

 

[Joey007]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

Randy Moss, Anquan Bolden, Larry Fitzgerald, and more recently...AJ Green and Torrey Smith.

That's why he said almost never. You have a guy who can produce higly as a rookie once in a while, but most of the time 1st year production is a crapshoot.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

Yeah i think he will be a patriots as well..only a matter of time

 

[Jimke]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

you use Picks to acquire players...whether that is in the draft or through trades it doesnt matter.

I dont think you will find a WR of Sanders' quality in the 3rd round...and the pats have had their share of busts in the 3rd round.

besides, theres no other quality starting WR's out there right now for the taking. Sanders could be that deep threat the pats are looking for.


and I think they will get him IMO

I don't think they will get him. Do you know how many RFAs signed with other teams last year? Zero. Nada. Zilch. There is probably a gentlemen's
agreement among owners not to do so.

When Belichick signed Welker, Bob Kraft stepped in and changed the deal
to a trade. The pot was sweetened by adding a 7th round draft pick.

 

[moosekill]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

Only reason it might work is the salary cap this year. Because some teams are screwed by it, some players are ripe for the picking. L

 

[RIpats88]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

I don't think they will get him. Do you know how many RFAs signed with other teams last year? Zero. Nada. Zilch. There is probably a gentlemen's
agreement among owners not to do so.

When Belichick signed Welker, Bob Kraft stepped in and changed the deal
to a trade. The pot was sweetened by adding a 7th round draft pick.

just because no RFA's signed with other teams last year doesnt mean it wont happen this year..

it is pretty rare, but its also pretty rare for teams(or the Pats in general) to meet with RFA's if there isnt some legitimate interest.

also, this is the first year that the "cap" is really taking its toll on some teams. The steelers are one of those teams. all it takes is an offer from the pats that the steelers CANT match due to their restrictions and he's ours

 

[kennyb]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

The draft is bad. Sanders is way better than any receiver you'll find in the 3rd.

Yet sanders was taken in the 3rd round.

So why are others able to get much better results with their picks?

and #2, it isn't a fair comparison. You not only lose the 3rd round pick, you have to pay a much higher salary than a 3rd rounder would get.

 

[RIpats88]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

Yet sanders was taken in the 3rd round.

So why are others able to get much better results with their picks?

and #2, it isn't a fair comparison. You not only lose the 3rd round pick, you have to pay a much higher salary than a 3rd rounder would get.

Other teams are much better at drafting receivers than the patriots.

would you rather have emmanuel sanders as your starting receiver for a 3rd round pick?

or a rookie who could end up being another chad jackson/taylor price

for a team with championship aspirations I go with the young/proven talent

 

[FourierSeries]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

The more I read/see of this guy the more I think he could be a real asset to our offense. I would be excited if we land him.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

It is strange that RFAs don't move teams. Just one since 2009. I think part of it is that it's tough to lock up the money for a week. If the Patriots offer him, they need to have the cap space to do it. Steelers can take a week -- they should take a full week -- and then match, and then you had millions on the sidelines unable to use to sign anyone else. I think that and the draft pick make it unappealing quite often.

If the Patriots make him an offer that the Steelers have trouble matching -- let's say an offer with 3 million in year one salary and no bonus -- that's a week where 3 million is off the books. Let's say the Steelers restructure someone and match. Now you've let a week go by and who knows what you might have done with the money.

 

[mgteich]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

Many more players who were tendered, ended up on other teams through trades (e.g. Welker). In the end, the acquiring team may give a 6th or 7th to remove the uncertainty. Alternatively, the teams reach a deal at lower draft pick levels than the tender. I expect that we are discussing this with PITT.

Of course, the other alternative is that there is a gentleman's agreement among teams not to tender and drive up the costs of the players. WASH found out the penalty for violate such agreements.

Obviously, the RFA system has worked very well for the teams.

It is strange that RFAs don't move teams. Just one since 2009. I think part of it is that it's tough to lock up the money for a week. If the Patriots offer him, they need to have the cap space to do it. Steelers can take a week -- they should take a full week -- and then match, and then you had millions on the sidelines unable to use to sign anyone else. I think that and the draft pick make it unappealing quite often.

If the Patriots make him an offer that the Steelers have trouble matching -- let's say an offer with 3 million in year one salary and no bonus -- that's a week where 3 million is off the books. Let's say the Steelers restructure someone and match. Now you've let a week go by and who knows what you might have done with the money.

 

[JMC00]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

It is strange that RFAs don't move teams. Just one since 2009.

That's easily because teams don't want to surrender a draft pick and give a contract so they stick to the unrestricted free agents and normally teams will tender players that might be worth it a 1st or 2nd which puts teams off or the two teams work out a trade where the 1st or 2nd aren't involved but multiple 3rd-7th round picks are, which then technically it goes down as a trade and not a restricted free agent signing.

Here the Steelers tendered his original round which was a 3rd, so it's a pick BB can stomach giving up for his potential. Plus like you said they don't want to put salary cap money aside for 7 days when the team can match it on the 7th day which in those 7 days the team's 2nd & 3rd unrestricted free agent targets have signed elsewhere.

let's say an offer with 3 million in year one salary and no bonus -- that's a week where 3 million is off the books. Let's say the Steelers restructure someone and match. Now you've let a week go by and who knows what you might have done with the money

That's why I think it is taking longer than people thought for it to be announced. Possible Dumervil coming available might have delayed the announcement or they are still working on the structure of the contract. Sanders coming in for a visit is the tell of it all, every guy they have had in has been signed. Now I know Abraham and Freeney were in but I think them leaving could have something to do with the reported interest from Patriots in Dumervil.

 

[lillloyd]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

Many more players who were tendered, ended up on other teams through trades (e.g. Welker). In the end, the acquiring team may give a 6th or 7th to remove the uncertainty. Alternatively, the teams reach a deal at lower draft pick levels than the tender. I expect that we are discussing this with PITT.

I don't follow. Do you mean that NE may be attempting to trade for Sanders, and is trying to do so for a lower draft pick than the 3rd? What would Pitt's incentive be to accommodate this?--they're already locked in at a 3rd rd comp.

Or do you mean that NE would package lower rd picks (presumably from next year's draft then since NE has nothing below the 3rd rd except a pair of 7th rounders)?

 

[mgteich]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

PITT is NOT locked into a 3rd round pick unless someone signs Sanders to an offer sheet. No one has as of now.

If he is worth a 3rd, the patriots might be willing to add a 7th to get the deal done. After all, we have no guarantee that PITT will not simply match our trade and then trade him before the end of the date that they match.

Finally, Sanders knows what interest has been shown. Perhaps, no team is willing to part with a 3rd for Sanders. A negotiation might yield a next year's 3rd from us.
=====

An overriding issue is that teams simply don't end up signing players and paying the listed compensation. As has been posted, that's only happened once in recent years.

I don't follow. Do you mean that NE may be attempting to trade for Sanders, and is trying to do so for a lower draft pick than the 3rd? What would Pitt's incentive be to accommodate this?--they're already locked in at a 3rd rd comp.

Or do you mean that NE would package lower rd picks (presumably from next year's draft then since NE has nothing below the 3rd rd except a pair of 7th rounders)?

 

[Rob0729]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

GM Kevin Colbert says Steelers haven't gotten an offer sheet from NE for Sanders. That means Sanders hasn't signed anything.

https://twitter.com/BobLabriola/status/313359698344689664

 

[lillloyd]

Re: Emmanuel Sanders signs offer sheet (Unconfirmed report)

I'm guessing that Sanders may in fact end up with the Pats in the end, but I have to say the sequence of events so far has been a bit strange.

I thought the hangup with the offer sheet was Lloyd's status, but with Lloyd released it's surprising they still haven't provided one.

Re/ the notion that the Pats may be waiting for Pitt to get even tighter under the cap--the reality is that at about 5.5 mill under the cap, any veterans they'd be signing would pretty much be for vet minimums, and they wouldn't be particularly critical or expensive signings. I think Pitt's just about as damaged cap-wise as they're going to be, so NE waiting it out for them to possibly get a smidge worse seems unnecessary.

I think the more likely scenario is that NE has a couple other FA targets that they currently find more interesting, and will loop back to Sanders if those pursuits don't work out. (That, or they kicked the tires on Sanders and maybe don't like him quite as much as we think--he is a guy who had repeated foot issues, at least prior to last year).

Here's one more theory just for the conspiracy guys out there: the utter and absolute lack of RFA movement last year--particularly when a guy like Wallace was out there after a huge season, and there were a bunch of teams with cap room--had a couple of writers speculating about potential collusion on the owners' parts to minimize or even prevent RFA movement. Maybe RFA movement, while within the rules, is frowned upon within the owners' fraternity? (Probably a more reasonable explanation is just that an RFA is costly draft-wise and more generally just a PIA for teams...)