Gerry: Would Steelers let Sanders leave?

Friday, 15 March 2013 16:46

Written by Gerry Dulac

What would happen if the Patriots gave wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders an offer sheet? Would the Steelers match it and keep him.

I’m not so sure they would.

            Sanders is a restricted free agent who received a one-year, $1.323 million tender from the Steelers. That means if he would receive an offer from the Patriots and the Steelers declined to match it, the Patriots would have to send the Steelers a third-round choice in this year’s draft in return.

            If Sanders would leave, the Steelers would have only three wide receivers on their roster – Antonio Brown, Jerricho Cotchery and Plaxico Burress.

            That would almost force them to sign a wide receiver in free agency and increase the chance they would take a wide receiver on one of the first two rounds of the draft.

            Sanders has been oft-injured in his three years with the Steelers. In that time, he has shown he is nothing more than a No. 3 receiver, not a starter.

            I believe the Steelers will take the third-round pick from the Patriots and go look for another receiver in the draft.