Colts cut Bob Sanders

[texanfan2002114]

"Bob Sanders, the safety whose tremendous talent has been overshadowed by his inability to stay healthy, has been released by the Indianapolis Colts.

Colts owner Jim Irsay revealed the news on Twitter, using 140 characters to thank Sanders for his contributions to the Colts and note that Sanders had earned a Super Bowl ring, picked off a pass in the Super Bowl and won a defensive player of the year award during his time in Indianapolis.

When he was healthy, Sanders was nothing less than one of the best players in the NFL. He had an impact on the Colts’ defense that few players in the league could match, which is why at the end of the 2007 season he was named the NFL’s defensive player of the year and rewarded with a contract that made him the league’s highest-paid safety.

But he just hasn’t been able to stay on the field since then: In the last three seasons Sanders has played in nine regular-season games and missed 39.

Sanders knows he’s going to need to take a pay cut for his career to continue, and the Colts may still be able to re-sign him at a significantly reduced salary. But first he’ll test the free agent market. He’s free to sign, right now, with any team that’s willing to take a chance on a talented but injury-plagued former star"


http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...t-bob-sanders/

[HOU-TEX]

I guess they couldn't deal with him being injured every year. I'd love to have him, but him staying healthy is next to impossible.

Bob Sanders, the safety whose tremendous talent has been overshadowed by his inability to stay healthy, has been released by the Indianapolis Colts.

But he just hasn’t been able to stay on the field since then: In the last three seasons Sanders has played in nine regular-season games and missed 39.

Colts may still be able to re-sign him at a significantly reduced salary. But first he’ll test the free agent market. He’s free to sign, right now, with any team that’s willing to take a chance on a talented but injury-plagued former star.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...t-bob-sanders/

[False Start]

No.

[Marcus]

He'd be a good addition if he could say healthy. But he can't.

And believe you me, someone will pay him as if he was healthy.

[Doppelganger]

Originally Posted by Marcus

He'd be a good addition if he could say healthy. But he can't.

And believe you me, someone will pay him as if he was healthy.

If he was healthy, the Colts would have signed him to a BIG deal.

[NitroGSXR]

Originally Posted by Doppelganger

If he was healthy, the Colts would have signed him to a BIG deal.

I don't think that's necessarily true considering that resigning Manning is going to be sickeningly expensive. In fact, it probably played a factor into their decision to cut Sanders and his mega-contract.

[ChampionTexan]

Originally Posted by Marcus

He'd be a good addition if he could say healthy. But he can't.

If he could stay healthy, he wouldn't be available.

[BullNation4Life]

Originally Posted by ChampionTexan

If he could stay healthy, he wouldn't be available.

what I was thinking....

so question is, do you take a calculated risk on him and hope he can stay healthy and maybe seek a bit of revenge on the Colts...

[CloakNNNdagger]

I don't know how many of you realize it, but Sanders has only played in more than 6 games in 1 season TWICE!........including only 2 games in 2009.............and only 1 game in 2010. He may be as likely to play 0 games in 2011 with or without an NFL season.

[Dutchrudder]

Can we sign him to the practice sqaud?

[Ole Miss Texan]

For me, I almost want to sign him regardless of if he plays or not. I'd pay him just to have the veteran mentorship in practice. Sounds crazy... but it just might work!

[TexansBlood]

Nothing to see here folks, move along.

[The1ApplePie]

Originally Posted by Dutchrudder

Can we sign him to the practice sqaud?

Isn't he famous for hurting people in practice?

Bob Sanders is the rare example of a non-stop motor being a bad thing.

[Thorn]

Originally Posted by False Start

No.

I’ll sometimes quote someone that I agree with noting that I agree with them and save myself some typing, as do others. This is generally done by just quoting the post with the word “This”. I was thinking of doing just that. Then I thought to myself that wouldn’t allow my own personal take on such a magnificent post that said exactly what I wanted to say myself. There are times in our internet lives that we must rise above the common post and say what it is that we mean. And what I mean to say is that all this bull**** I’m typing is saying that I agree with False Start on such an exact verbal response to the subject of the tread.

[texanchris]

Originally Posted by Thorn

I’ll sometimes quote someone that I agree with noting that I agree with them and save myself some typing, as do others. This is generally done by just quoting the post with the word “This”. I was thinking of doing just that. Then I thought to myself that wouldn’t allow my own personal take on such a magnificent post that said exactly what I wanted to say myself. There are times in our internet lives that we must rise above the common post and say what it is that we mean. And what I mean to say is that all this bull**** I’m typing is saying that I agree with False Start on such an exact verbal response to the subject of the tread.

This

[Doppelganger]

Originally Posted by NitroHonda

I don't think that's necessarily true considering that resigning Manning is going to be sickeningly expensive. In fact, it probably played a factor into their decision to cut Sanders and his mega-contract.

Disagree. When Sanders is healthy he is in the same class of discussion as Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu. The Colts won their only Superbowl with Manning when Bob Sanders was out there.

[Texanmike02]

Can he play TE?

Mike

[CloakNNNdagger]

From Stampedeblue.com:
Why The Indianapolis Colts Cut Bob Sanders

From Adam Schefter:

One reason Colts cut Bob Sanders: He was scheduled is make $5.5 million base salary, with a $500,000 off-season workout bonus.

That was one reason. The other reason was Sanders had signed a $37 million dollar contract back in early 2008. He pocketed $20 million in guaranteed money, and then (with an average yearly salary of $7.5 million), he too millions more over four seasons. He took $7.1 million in 2008 and 3.95 mill in 2009. In 2010, he took home 5.5 mill. During that length of time, 2008-2010, Bob played in a total of nine games.

Nine games.

Yeah, it's safe to say that was a pretty stupid contract. And please don't throw out the lame excuse of 'hindsight is 20-20.' Sanders had a long history with injuries dating back to college. He was injured his rookie year. He was injured for most of the 2006 season, only to come back for the playoffs and help Indy win a title.

In the end, giving an injury prone safety a $37 million dollar contract with $20 mill guaranteed was not a smart business move.That's nearly $50 mill $30 million dished out to him that could have been invested in players who, you know, actually stay on the field and contribute something to the football team. Jim Irsay and Bill Polian often lament the 2005 Corey Simon contract as a 'mistake.' Bob Sanders' deal was equally damaging.

And for people who feel that the release of Sanders is somehow some big page-turning moment in Colts history, the reality is Bob Sanders hasn't been part of this football team since he won Defensive Player of the Year in 2007.

Again, nine games in three seasons since winning that award.

To offer some perspective, Javarris James (who was a rookie last year) has played in more games for the Colts (10) recently than Sanders. Aaron Francisco has started more games at safety the last two years (14) than Sanders the last four years.

Absolutely, Bob was a wonderful player from 2004-2007, and we should appreciate his work during that time. But 2007 was eons ago, and when a player hasn't made a significant contribution to the team in well over three years, but was getting paid roughly $7.5 million a season regardless, it's kind of hard to get misty-eyed when thinking about him getting cut. I will personally have nothing but warm memories of his play in the playoffs in 2006, and his body of work in 2007. But Bob stopped being an intricate part of the Colts a long time ago, and his release was an obvious move for the Colts to make this off-season.

[SoCalTexanFan]

I know this guy has had some injury issues but at the right price he sure would look good on our side of the ball. Pollard and Sanders at safeties would scare anyone coming accross the middle.

[Ryan]

Obligatory thread for every FA.

Look i'm sure he'd be an upgrade if he were healthy, and if he wasn't healthy with the Colts, there is no way in hell he will be with us.