The Steelers have until 11:59:59ET on Sunday night to match the Patriots' one-year, $2.5 million offer sheet to restricted free agent Emmanuel Sanders.

If there is no word, Sanders will then become property of the Patriots when the clock strikes midnight. Nobody knows which way the Steelers are leaning, and the most recent report says Pittsburgh is still "up in the air" while the decision will likely come down to ownership. New England would likely hammer out a long-term deal with Sanders if they are able to land him.

Profootballtalk reports the Steelers are "up in the air" on whether to match the Patriots' one-year, $2.5 million offer sheet to restricted free agent Emmanuel Sanders.

ESPN's John Clayton has reported chances of Pittsburgh matching are "50-50." We suspect the Steelers will ultimately not match, accept New England's No. 91 overall pick as compensation, and attack the skill positions in the draft. Regardless of whether or not Sanders is on the Steelers' 2013 roster, Cordarrelle Patterson of Tennessee should be on their radar at No. 17.

ESPN's John Clayton reports the Steelers are "50-50" to match restricted free agent Emmanuel Sanders' one-year, $2.5 million offer sheet with the Patriots.

Per Clayon, "some" in the organization prefer letting Sanders walk and netting the Patriots' third-round pick (No. 91), while others would rather match the offer. An increasingly ancient Jerricho Cotchery is apparently the "leading candidate" to slide into the starting lineup if Sanders bolts. That alone would seem to be enough reason to buck up, match the offer and deal with Sanders' unrestricted free agency next offseason, but the Steelers seem truly split. They have until Sunday decide. Losing Sanders would be a big blow for Ben Roethlisberger as he looks to rebound from a down season.

An anonymous AFC executive expects the Patriots to sign restricted free agent Emmanuel Sanders to a long-term contract if the Steelers to decline to match their one-year, $2.5 million offer sheet.

"I don't believe for a second that Bill Belichick is giving up a third-round pick for Sanders for only one year," the exec told Yahoo's Jason Cole. Such a move would be considered dirty pool around the league, but is not illegal. The "fair" way to conduct such a transaction would be to sign Sanders to his long-term deal from the get-go, giving the Steelers a chance to match the true parameters of the agreement. Per Cole, Sanders is believed to be the first RFA in league history to sign a one-year offer sheet with a new team. The one-year arrangement is in the Pats' favor because the Steelers are right up against the salary. In a normal long-term agreement, Sanders' first-year cap number would likely be lower than $2.5 million.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette confirms the Steelers could match the Patriots' one-year, $2.5 million offer sheet for restricted free agent Emmanuel Sanders in a "heartbeat."

Restricted free agent WR Emmanuel Sanders' one-year offer sheet with the Patriots is worth just $2.5 million

The Steelers are believed to have just $1.9 million in cap space, but it's an easily matchable offer if they're serious about keeping the fourth-year pro. They have until Sunday to decide. The Steelers will get New England's third-round pick (No. 91) if they let Sanders walk. Sanders would likely sign a long-term extension upon becoming a Patriot. The Steelers have a sterling track record of finding young receivers, and could select Sanders' replacement in this month's draft if they let him go.

The Patriots have submitted a one-year offer sheet on restricted free agent WR Emmanuel Sanders.

By tendering Sanders at the third-round level and leaving themselves precious little cap room, the Steelers have opened themselves up to the rare restricted free agent loss. They'll have five days to match the offer and may be able to do, but they'll have to do some more restructuring that will further bludgeon their cap situation down the line. The Patriots, meanwhile, are intent on aggressively remaking their receiving corps after moving on from both Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd. If the Steelers don't match the offer, New England will hand over a third-round pick and likely try to sign Sanders to a long-term deal.

ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss put the chances of the Patriots signing restricted free agent Emmanuel Sanders to an offer sheet at "15 percent."

"My sense is that the longer things drag out with Sanders, the less likely they would draw out an offer sheet," said Reiss. Sanders, 26, visited the Patriots three days after free agency opened, but it has been quiet ever since. Per NFLPA records, the Steelers have just $2.07 million in cap room. So, the Patriots may be waiting until the April 19 deadline to sign Sanders to an offer sheet, forcing Pittsburgh's hand.

ESPN Boston suggests the Patriots could be waiting until closer to the April 19 deadline before signing RFA Emmanuel Sanders to an offer sheet.

Steelers GM Kevin Colbert confirms the team hasn't received an offer sheet from the Patriots for restricted free agent Emmanuel Sanders.