Sanders Says Contract Extension Talks Are Going On Right Now

[stillers4me]

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders had an eventful off-season that included him signing an one-year restricted offer sheet with the New England Patriots. The Steelers of course matched that offer right before the deadline and now that he is under contract for the 2013 season, Sanders was asked Wednesday on 93.7 The Fan if there has been any talk about an extension.

"Of course, and those conversations are going on right now," Sanders said.

Despite admitting that he has had extension talks with the Steelers, Sanders wanted to make it clear that those talks are not the main thing on his mind right now......

read more @
http://www.steelersdepot.com/2013/05...-on-right-now/

[Carolina Steelers]

Wow that's great news, I know there only talking but I never thought it would be this soon I was thinking after this season maybe. It might be cheaper to lock him up now if he has a great season price might get to high, also if we can lock him up long term before season is mind will be free to concentrate on football

[ALLD]

The 49ers should have offered him.

[GBMelBlount]

I like Sanders and maybe I'm wrong but 26 million over 4 years with 12 million guaranteed SEEMS like a lot to tie up for a 2nd receiver that has not hit full stride.

Isn't that almost what Brown is making?

[Psycho Ward 86]

I like Sanders and maybe I'm wrong but 26 million over 4 years with 12 million guaranteed SEEMS like a lot to tie up for a 2nd receiver that has not hit full stride.

Isn't that almost what Brown is making?

without any other proven receivers on our roster other than Brown, and not enough cap space to afford other ones, we kind of have our balls in a vice. Sanders taking advantage.

[steelreserve]

I like Sanders and maybe I'm wrong but 26 million over 4 years with 12 million guaranteed SEEMS like a lot to tie up for a 2nd receiver that has not hit full stride.

Isn't that almost what Brown is making?

I read the article and was thinking "Yes, this is great news!" until I got to that part. Almost $7M a year is way too steep for a hope-so #2 WR, and it is almost what Brown is making (6 years/$43M). As far as I'm concerned, that's what Sanders would get AFTER this year if he had like a 1,000-yard season, but he hasn't yet, so why give him that kind of money now? He wants a contract BEFORE he has a breakout season, he ought to be getting promising-but-unproven-guy money, which is more like $4M a year. More than that, and sorry bro, maybe call the Patriots back up next year.

Oy vey. If he really is going to hold out for that kind of money, maybe we would've been better off taking the draft pick after all.

without any other proven receivers on our roster other than Brown, and not enough cap space to afford other ones, we kind of have our balls in a vice. Sanders taking advantage.

I wouldn't say our balls are in a vise. After the draft, we have a surplus of receivers, and odds are at least one of the rookies ought to be decent by the start of next season. Which is why I think spending $7M on Sanders long-term would be foolish, but $2.5M for a 1-year bridge rental until the young guy(s) are ready at least kinda makes the best of the situation. Which yeah, is still less than ideal.

[86WARD]

Sanders...going the route of a mini-mike Wallace...lol.

[Psycho Ward 86]

I wouldn't say our balls are in a vise. After the draft, we have a surplus of receivers, and odds are at least one of the rookies ought to be decent by the start of next season. Which is why I think spending $7M on Sanders long-term would be foolish, but $2.5M for a 1-year bridge rental until the young guy(s) are ready at least kinda makes the best of the situation. Which yeah, is still less than ideal.

[steelreserve]

What, that we have a surplus of receivers? We totally do, there are like 8 of them. It's just that 3 aren't ready yet and 3 are barely passable with only about a season left in them. That'll probably work itself out in a year.

[Psycho Ward 86]

What, that we have a surplus of receivers? We totally do, there are like 8 of them. It's just that 3 aren't ready yet and 3 are barely passable with only about a season left in them. That'll probably work itself out in a year.

cripes, by surplus of receiver i thought you were putting quality and quantity together. Brown is literally the lone proven talent we know we are going to have on opening day. Sanders is meh, wheaton hasnt proven anything, and lets not even pretend plaxico and cotchery count towards that "surplus" of receivers we have.

[86WARD]

It'll take a lot longer than one year for the "young guys" to be ready...so in 2014 you have Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton, Justin Brown and what? Sanders gone, Burress gone, Cotchery should be gone, Gilreath? Moye?

Lol...I forgot they have Reggie Dunn too...nevermind, all is good...

[GBMelBlount]

Steelereserve
I read the article and was thinking "Yes, this is great news!" until I got to that part. Almost $7M a year is way too steep for a hope-so #2 WR, and it is almost what Brown is making (6 years/$43M). As far as I'm concerned, that's what Sanders would get AFTER this year if he had like a 1,000-yard season, but he hasn't yet, so why give him that kind of money now? He wants a contract BEFORE he has a breakout season, he ought to be getting promising-but-unproven-guy money, which is more like $4M a year. More than that, and sorry bro, maybe call the Patriots back up next year.

Oy vey. If he really is going to hold out for that kind of money, maybe we would've been better off taking the draft pick after all.

I agree.

There are too many variables (including Sanders) that need to play out this year for the Steelers to determine his long term worth imo.

I THINK if he stays healthy he will be worth it.

[Mojouw]

Depending on how the guaranteed money is structured, Sanders may still be "cuttable" if he stinks as a starter. Also the idea that this team has surplus or even depth at WR is way too optimistic.

I expect Burress to get cut because he is done. Crotchery is wholly incapable of getting open on his own anymore and must be schemed for, think Ward towards the end. Dunn can't seem to catch punts, let alone passes. Gilreath, seems to have suddenly become an exciting prospect for reasons I can not begin to understand. Brown is a relatively slow WR with an (unknown) ability to perhaps develop into a package based possession guy - or get cut in camp. Wheaton is somewhere on a spectrum between Troy Edwards and Santonio Holmes. That is a lot of room for uncertainty.

So really in terms of guys that the Steelers know can get open and make plays in the NFL, they have Brown and Sanders. While both have flaws and we have never seen them consistently operate either on the field together or without the threat of Wallace's speed and Miller's seam routes (at least for long periods of time); they have actually, you know, made some plays. The Steelers almost have to extend Sanders at this point.

That being said, the #'s his agent are talking are just that -- wacky agent talk. If Welker struggled to get $6 million per on the open market, Sanders will never see that kind of coin.

[steelreserve]

cripes, by surplus of receiver i thought you were putting quality and quantity together. Brown is literally the lone proven talent we know we are going to have on opening day. Sanders is meh, wheaton hasnt proven anything, and lets not even pretend plaxico and cotchery count towards that "surplus" of receivers we have.

That's still no reason to go blowing $7M on one of the OK guys you have, who is under contract this year. We'll get through this year at WR - not kill it, but get through it - and then see what our options are. But if $6M-$7M is the asking price for Sanders, forget it. We can go out and get someone else who's as good for that sum. He doesn't have us over a barrel at all.

It'll take a lot longer than one year for the "young guys" to be ready...so in 2014 you have Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton, Justin Brown and what? Sanders gone, Burress gone, Cotchery should be gone, Gilreath? Moye?

Lol...I forgot they have Reggie Dunn too...nevermind, all is good...

Why's that? Plenty of WRs are effective as rookies and full-steam by their second year. It may not be a position where you're full speed immediately like RB, but the learning curve is pretty quick.

[SteelerFanInStl]

There's no way that Sanders is worth that kind of money.

[Dwinsgames]

the only way I consider 7 mill a year is if it is a base of 2-3 mill and the rest incentive laden based on productivity , escalators in the contract so much per catchs over 60 , so much per TDs over 5 so much per yards per catch over 10 -12-14 ave etc ..... so much per first downs over 35 ... so much for making the pro bowl , playoff bonus , afc championship bonus , SB bonus, SB MVP bonus and if he makes all incentives then he gets 7 mill but the base MUST be low and let him earn the rest

[43Hitman]

the only way I consider 7 mill a year is if it is a base of 2-3 mill and the rest incentive laden based on productivity , escalators in the contract so much per catchs over 60 , so much per TDs over 5 so much per yards per catch over 10 -12-14 ave etc ..... so much per first downs over 35 ... so much for making the pro bowl , playoff bonus , afc championship bonus , SB bonus, SB MVP bonus and if he makes all incentives then he gets 7 mill but the base MUST be low and let him earn the rest

I agree. I would like to see us do more of that with our younger unproven guys. I wonder how Woodley would be playing if we hadn't mortgaged the future of the team on his contract and just made it incentive laden.

[steeldawg]

We are going to have to extend him now, we gave up a 3rd round pick keeping him for on year and then letting him walk for nothing would be dumb if you ask me.

[Dwinsgames]

We are going to have to extend him now, we gave up a 3rd round pick keeping him for on year and then letting him walk for nothing would be dumb if you ask me.

well technically it would not be for nothing , he would garner us a compensatory selection but that could be anything between a 3rd and 7th rounder , so who knows for sure....

3rd round pick given up ( especially in a deep draft like we just had ) is nothing to sneeze at but at the end of the day it is still not reason enough to overpay ...that would make a poor decision even poorer ...

as has been my stance from the onset it was a mistake to match to begin with

[steeldawg]

well technically it would not be for nothing , he would garner us a compensatory selection but that could be anything between a 3rd and 7th rounder , so who knows for sure....

3rd round pick given up ( especially in a deep draft like we just had ) is nothing to sneeze at but at the end of the day it is still not reason enough to overpay ...that would make a poor decision even poorer ...

as has been my stance from the onset it was a mistake to match to begin with

No your right definetly don't overpay, im just saying if your not going to extend him you might as well of taken the 3rd round pick.

[Psycho Ward 86]

seriously guys, this is happening because we had our balls in a vice. if we dont extend him, we just lost a 3rd round pick for a 1 year rental. 3 things could have happened with sanders beginning this offseason:

1) we could have let him walk and take the 3rd rounder, but have an absurdly thin receiving corp that would be opening the season likely without Heath, and with cotchery/plax/wheaton playing opposite of brown

2) we could have matched sanders (which we did) just to use as a 1 year rental and never get that 3rd round pick that people seem to think were so damn good at utilizing that we cant draft a bust with it

3) we could have matched sanders (which we did) and make that match worthwhile by extending sanders and never getting that 3rd round pick. Looks like were vying for option 3 because sanders is honestly in great position to take advantage.

seriously guys, with wallace gone, what were you guys expecting. not being condescending, i actually want to hear this

[steelreserve]

I agree. I would like to see us do more of that with our younger unproven guys. I wonder how Woodley would be playing if we hadn't mortgaged the future of the team on his contract and just made it incentive laden.

Honestly, I think he'd still be playing like crap.