Respected veteran Emmanuel Sanders figured to be on his way out of New Orleans this offseason, with many pointing to San Francisco as a logical landing spot for the wide receiver.
But Sanders reportedly is on his way to play with Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.
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Sanders actually turns 34 on Wednesday, so his new contract could be a nice birthday present. The 49ers could use some depth at receiver behind their young wideouts Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, and Sanders would have been a good fit.
Sanders impressed Kyle Shanahan with his veteran presence during his impactful 2019 stint with the 49ers during their Super Bowl run. Shanahan admitted it was a tough loss for the 49ers last season when he signed a two-year deal with the New Orleans Saints last season.
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In 13 games with the 49ers, including the playoffs, Sanders totaled 41 catches for 573 yards and three touchdowns. Last season with New Orleans, he played in 14 games, racking up 61 receptions for 726 yards and five touchdowns.
San Francisco 49ers
But Drew Brees retired and the Saints had to shed cap room. Now Sanders gets to play on with one of the NFL’s most promising quarterbacks in Allen.
The 49ers have yet to be publicly linked to a wide receiver in free-agency rumors, but action tends to move fast once the league calendar opens on Wednesday.