Report: 49ers acquire WR Emmanuel Sanders from Broncos
The wide receiver position for the San Francisco 49ers is about to get a boost. Adam Schefter of ESPN has reported that the 49ers have acquired wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders from the Denver Broncos. The 49ers are sending their 2020 third and fourth-round picks for Sanders and Denver's fifth round pick.
San Francisco will now be without their second through fourth-round picks in the 2020 draft. Whether the 49ers got value or not with Sanders is yet to be determined on his production.
However, if we compare this trade to what the New England Patriots gave up, a 2020 second round pick, for Falcons wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, then the 49ers got some value for Sanders. It was also reported that the 49ers were in on Sanu, which makes sense given his familiarity with Kyle Shanahan.
The best part about this acquisition is that the 49ers didn't overextend themselves. They didn't mortgage the future and improved their team by bringing in Sanders. It was no secret that the 49ers needed an upgrade at the receiver position.
They were not as desperate to acquire one as most people had them pegged out to be. Considering what they gave up and received fifth round pick to go with it proves that. Wide receivers in Kyle Shanahan's offense do not play a heavy factor into the passing game. Rather they are a complimentary part of the offense.
With Emmanuel Sanders now a part of the red and gold, he gives the 49ers another form of attack. Sanders can stretch the field, which will allow receivers like Dante Pettis and Deebo Samuel to feast on underneath routes.
Versatility is also a part of Sanders' game as he can be moved from the outside to slot position. If Sanders can be productive in this offense, then defenses will suffer for doubling and swinging coverage over towards George Kittle. We will get our first glimpse of him as a 49er on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, who have one of the better secondaries in the league.
Trading for Emmanuel Sanders was the best move for the 49ers over someone like A.J. Green, who has yet to play this season. This move just shows how confident the 49ers are in making a run at the Super Bowl. While Sanders doesn't dramatically favor the 49ers to win it, they did improve upon what was already one of the most efficient offenses in the NFL.
