Steelers RFA Filtering Process Could Wind Up Costing Them WR Emmanuel Sanders

[stillers4me]

A few days ago, I wrote about how the Pittsburgh Steelers had made use of restricted free agency as a quick filtering system over the course of the last several years. That practice consisted of them signing draft picks selected in the third round or later to three-year contracts as opposed to four-year contracts like most of the other teams in the league do. This practice, as I described in the previous post, allowed the Steelers to spend less money up front in the form of a total signing bonus and thus lessened the amount of potential dead money should the draft pick not work out.

Over the span of several years, the Steelers never had problems tendering and keeping their restricted free agents that they wanted to retain, as teams just don't make it a practice of going after other teams restricted free agents, especially ones that require a draft pick as compensation. This off-season, the last true off-season of restricted free agency as we have come to know it, the Steelers might finally have that filtering system come back and bite them in the ass, depending of course on what ultimately happens with wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders............

Read more @ http://www.steelersdepot.com/2013/03/steelers-rfa-filtering-process-could-wind-up-costing-emmanuel-sanders/

[GBMelBlount]

Ben always seems to do OK no matter who the receivers are.

While it would suck to lose Sanders, Brown is a decent #1, cotchery is a decent 3rd-4th receiver and Burress is serviceable as well.

So if we lose Sanders and pick up 2 decent receivers in the earlier part of the draft I have a feeling we wouldn't be hurting as bad as people think.

[86WARD]

Ben does okay no matter who the receivers are because he has always had decent receivers at his disposal. Ironically, 2005 was probably his worst group of receivers...but at that time, the team could lean more so on the running game.

I tend to agree with your general statement that he will do well with whomever he has, but we really haven't seen him be tested without a decent receiving corps other than the 2005 group and honestly, he wasn't superb other than the playoffs leading up to the Super Bowl. We are on the brink of seeing how well he could really do...

[Psycho Ward 86]

Ben always seems to do OK no matter who the receivers are.

While it would suck to lose Sanders, Brown is a decent #1, cotchery is a decent 3rd-4th receiver and Burress is serviceable as well.

So if we lose Sanders and pick up 2 decent receivers in the earlier part of the draft I have a feeling we wouldn't be hurting as bad as people think.

i feel like thats a little optimistic. like 86ward said, '05 was probably his worst group of receivers, but thats back when he had a menacing run game to help him out. the run game needs to take giant strides next season if were going to survive

[GBMelBlount]

Ben does okay no matter who the receivers are because he has always had decent receivers at his disposal. Ironically, 2005 was probably his worst group of receivers...but at that time, the team could lean more so on the running game.

I tend to agree with your general statement that he will do well with whomever he has, but we really haven't seen him be tested without a decent receiving corps other than the 2005 group and honestly, he wasn't superb other than the playoffs leading up to the Super Bowl. We are on the brink of seeing how well he could really do...

Fair enough.

There is simply no room for our running game and offensive line to be anemic like last year.

[steeldawg]

i feel like thats a little optimistic. like 86ward said, '05 was probably his worst group of receivers, but thats back when he had a menacing run game to help him out. the run game needs to take giant strides next season if were going to survive

This is absolutely right, and ben with this running game and wide reciever corp will have to be alot better than okay if we want to go anywhere.

[Dwinsgames]

http://draftsteel.com/ff/images/smilies/brick.gif

I understand feeling the need to link so many articles for " advertisement " of the site ... but cant the articles be liked to existing forum posts on the player / subject ?

its just so frustrating filtering through the same stuff in 3-4-5 threads on the same basic topic

[zulater]

Have we lost Sanders? No. Will we? Doubt it

[Psycho Ward 86]

Have we lost Sanders? No. Will we? Doubt it

what makes you think that? all evidence points to the complete opposite.

1) Sanders visited the Patriots
2) The Patriots cut Brandon Lloyd
3) The Patriots have turned a player with limited production into a machine before (wes welker) and gave up a high pick for him (2nd round)
4) The Patriots have tons of cap room to give him an irresistible deal
5) We don't

sanders has had his fair share of injuries his 1st 2 seasons in the league, so he would be wise to take the big money deal from another successful organization like the patriots. He would be putting himself in a great situation to succeed financially and as a football player. what can we offer him that the patriots cant? his friendship with antonio brown? LOL

[zulater]

what makes you think that? all evidence points to the complete opposite.

1) Sanders visited the Patriots
2) The Patriots cut Brandon Lloyd
3) The Patriots have turned a player with limited production into a machine before (wes welker) and gave up a high pick for him (2nd round)
4) The Patriots have tons of cap room to give him an irresistible deal
5) We don't

sanders has had his fair share of injuries his 1st 2 seasons in the league, so he would be wise to take the big money deal from another successful organization like the patriots. He would be putting himself in a great situation to succeed financially and as a football player. what can we offer him that the patriots cant? his friendship with antonio brown? LOL

Has he signed for them? Have the Steelers refused to match?

Let me know when something actually happens. :coffee:

[one side only]

Biggest obstacle is New England's lack of draft picks. They are probably thinking, rightfully so, that they could pick up a receiver in the 3rd round that is as good or better than Sanders. That's why I hope they pull the trigger and sign him. A third round pick in exchange for a guy with an injury history and scored once last year? No brainer.