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Every season in the NFL, there are players who enter the final year of their contract with the possibility of an extension before it expires. This season is no exception for a couple of players in the Steel City. Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders and defensive end Ziggy Hood both are in the final year of their respective contracts, and one of them could possibly get a contract extension before 2014.
Looking at the two, the one more likely to receive the extension seems to be Sanders. During this offseason, the four-year veteran was close to joining the New England Patriots as a restricted free agent. Furthermore, there appeared to be other teams interested in Sanders as well. According to Sanders, talks of a possible extension before the start of the 2013 regular season have already taken place.
As for Hood, the 2009 first-round pick has yet lived up to the expectations of the Steelers’ organization and to all of the fans in Pittsburgh. In four seasons in the league, and after becoming a full-time starter in 2011, Hood has only registered 8.5 sacks.
Though I do feel that Sanders is more worthy of the extension than Hood is, the fact remains that both players are unproven thus far in their careers, and giving either one of them a hefty sum of cash would be a huge risk.
If you ask me, the Steelers will be better off extending the contract of one of the better players on their roster. Someone who has proved that they are worth investing in for a long period of time. The one player that comes to mind is center Maurkice Pouncey. Ever since the three-time Pro Bowler stepped on to the field as a professional, Pouncey has shown that he is arguably the best at his position, and will remain so for a very long time.
So if Pittsburgh were to extend any contract, it should be Pouncey, who’s a player that is the anchor of the offensive line that desperately needs to protect the face of their franchise.
Clyde A. Speller is an NFL writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClydeASpeller, or add him to your network on Google+
