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The 49ers will not keep Emmanuel Sanders. The wide receiver, traded for by the 49ers from the Denver Broncos for a 3rd- and 4th-round pick (in exchange for Sanders and a fifth) in the middle of the 2020 season, will not return to Santa Clara next season.
According to Josina Anderson and Adam Schefter of ESPN, Sanders will sign a two-year, $16 million deal which can rise up to $19 million. He was reportedly offered deals by the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys. The 49ers will play Sanders and the Saints next season in New Orleans.
Former 49ers’ WR Emmanuel Sanders reached agreement on a two-year, $16 milloon deal with worth up to $19 million the New Orleans Saints, per source. https://t.co/01akLF17C3
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 21, 2020
Sanders fundamentally changed the 49ers’ offense when he arrived from Denver, and had a substantial impact on young wide receivers Kendrick Bourne and Deebo Samuel. His price tag is just about what you would expect, and while expensive, was not completely out of the 49ers price range if the team was willing to make some maneuvers (cutting or trading Marquise Goodwin and Tevin Coleman, trading Solomon Thomas, extending Kyle Juszczyk).
This will give substantial rise to the prospect of the 49ers drafting a wide receiver with the No. 13 overall pick. One of Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb, or Henry Ruggs III is projected by most to be available at that point in the draft.
