The Steelers on Sunday matched New England's offer sheet for wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders.
The move holds several meanings for the Steelers over the coming weeks.
First, wide receiver becomes less of a pressing need for the team heading into the draft later this month - at least in the short term.
The guess here is that now that Pittsburgh has kept Sanders, it will attempt to sign him to a long-term deal that will keep him past the 2013 season.
They dealt with Mike Wallace as a lame duck starter in 2012 at wideout and likely won't want to put themselves in a similar situation with Sanders. The two sides will have to come to an agreement that will pay Sanders starter money - not star money - but I look for that deal to get done.
Sanders' new contract also eats up an additional $1.2 million of salary cap space, leaving the Steelers just over $700,000 under the cap.
They will clear an additional $5.5 million once guard Willie Colon's release hits the books on June 1, but with so little cap space now, the Steelers appear to be out of the market for free agent running back Ahmad Bradshaw - unless he goes into the summer unsigned.
Does the CBA allow them to pay Bradshaw minimum right now and more in June?
ReplyDeleteIsn't that kind of what the Cowboys are doing with Will Allen and another signed FA?
So easy for a team to come in and steal our NT now!
ReplyDeleteNIck
No. Henry, if they sign him, that's his contract. He has other teams interested. He'll likely get a better deal.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping they let him go, but he's a good receiver, and who knows maybe the third-rounder would be Bruce Davis. That's how I'll deal with it while depression sets in for fifteen minutes. Can't do anything about it now. Hopefully he steps / grows up this season.
ReplyDeleteI really, really hope they do not sign Bradshaw anyway. If people think Sanders is injury-prone, just wait for Bradshaw to get here...
ps Eifert! Eifert! Eifert!
you knew they were gonna match the offer. they couldn't go into the draft with such a pressing need at one position. if they want bradshaw bad enough, they will rework another contract. ultimately, i think it was a good decision.
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ReplyDeleteI didn't want them to keep Sanders, but wanted them to draft a WR in the first even less. Here's hoping they'll land either Jarvis Jones or Eifert. I can't imagine any other options in the first round being able to help out the team as immediately.
ReplyDeleteDid Woodley ever restructure?
ReplyDeleteYes, Woodley restructured.
ReplyDeleteDale,
ReplyDeleteDo you agree with Wex that they now can Draft Dum Dum Patterson to develop?? He's against it but thinks they will.
I would just draft Hopkins since i know what im getting and the guy is team character guy too.
I am not sure who to get in touch with but I just started a blog/site which is lagniappefootball.com. It will "officially" kick off on April 22, but I am looking to share links. Let me know if you are interested & we will go from there.
ReplyDeleteThanks
Chris
Isn't there supposed to be a big jump in the cap next year due to the new TV deals? If so, the Steelers will be a position to sign and/or retain who they want.
ReplyDeleteI now don't think they'll go WR in the first. I think it's S, OLB or RB, depending on how they have them ranked.
ReplyDeleteAs for the TV money, that has been what's supposed to have happened this year. Didn't happen.
I can't imagine any RB being worthy of the 17th pick but stranger things have happened.
ReplyDeleteI think if Dwyer could just lose another 10 pounds and play at that weight he could stay on the field for longer periods of time and we would not even have to draft a RB before the 4th round.. Dwyer could rush for 1,000 yards in this offense. Maybe not 1,200+ ever, but 1,000 is feasible.
In light of the Steelers matching the Sanders offer, I know the focus of most prognosticators will move towards pass rushers. I still think the Steelers go with the best player available and I don't necessarily think Patterson is out of the mix. I read somewhere that both Tomlin and Colbert attended his pro day which to me indicates a strong interest.
ReplyDeletebased on comments from sander's agent, doesn't appear he will be signing a long term deal any time soon. one year rental i guess. even more fuel for the arguement they will still go with a WR in first couple rounds.
ReplyDeleteI really hope we don't go RB in the first. WR, S or OLB.
ReplyDeleteThat's what agents do. Never read too much into what they say. It's their job to try to get as much money as possible for their client.
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