Ben Ludeman-USA TODAY Sports
Report: Falcons trade WR Mohamed Sanu to Patriots for second-round NFL pick
The selling in Atlanta has begun. The Falcons agreed to send veteran wide receiver Mohamed Sanu to the New England Patriots for a 2020 second-round NFL Draft pick according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Trade speculation has swirled around Sanu for the last several months, but the Falcons chose to hold onto Sanu because he was expected to be a major part of the offense again in 2019. He has 33 catches for 313 receiving yards and one touchdown in seven games.
His best performance came against the Tennessee Titans in Week 4 when Sanu posted nine catches for 91 yards. He caught his lone touchdown the following week against the Houston Texans.
The Patriots have reportedly had their eyes on Sanu for a long time, and he should be a very nice fit in New England. Watching him excel with the franchise that broke Atlanta's hearts in Super Bowl LI is not ideal at all.
However, a second-round pick is probably worth the pain even if it expects to be a late second-round choice. Last year, the Philadelphia Eagles traded for a third-round selection for veteran wideout Golden Tate, who is similar in age, skill and statistically to Sanu.
Atlanta definitely received market value for Sanu. He will be missed, but the Falcons can now target Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and Austin Hooper more in the passing game. It also opens up salary cap space for the 2020 roster.
Sanu spent parts of four seasons with the Falcons, recording 225 catches for 2,507 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. He also posted 18 receptions, 246 yards and two touchdowns in five playoff games.
