Reunion time: Why losing Emmanuel Sanders was ‘toughest decisions 49ers had to make’
How important was the addition of receiver Emmanuel Sanders to the 49ers in 2019?
Before San Francisco acquired the veteran wideout from the Denver Broncos ahead of the trade deadline, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo averaged 219 yards per game with a lackluster 90.8 passer rating, good for 20th in the NFL.
With Sanders in the mix for the remainder of the season, Garoppolo’s numbers grew to 266 yards per game with a 108.1 passer rating, good for third over that span. Sanders, of course, quickly evolved into one of Garoppolo’s most-trusted targets and was a key reason the team reached the Super Bowl.
“He meant a ton and I think it would have been real hard to get to where we got to if we didn’t make that move for him,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday, days before taking on Sanders and his new team on Sunday. “He came in, did exactly what I was hoping for and more.”
But the 49ers decided against beating the New Orleans Saints’ offer to Sanders in free agency in the spring, instead opting for a young and cheaper option, Brandon Aiyuk, in the first round of the NFL draft, after dealing a third- and fourth-round pick to Denver for Sanders and a fifth-rounder. The 49ers made the move for a much-needed receiver because Shanahan thought it would put his team over the top in its chances at winning the Super Bowl.
Sanders this spring signed with New Orleans for $24 million over two seasons, while San Francisco went into cost-cutting mode to allocate money to other players, like George Kittle and potentially Fred Warner, who’s eligible for a contract extension this offseason.
“(It was) really hard to lose Emmanuel this offseason. One of the toughest decisions we had to make,” said Shanahan. “But New Orleans came through and gave him what he deserved and we had to move a different direction and go there in the draft. Just watching him and what he did for us in that game last year these last couple of days is unbelievable and he’s doing an unbelievable job for them, also.”
Sanders with San Francisco had 36 catches for 502 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games, including his biggest game of the season against his future employer.
In the thrilling 48-46 victory over New Orleans last December, Sanders recorded a season-high 157 yards on seven catches and made two of the biggest plays of the game: a 75-yard bomb from Garoppolo and a touchdown pass he threw to Raheem Mostert. Both came in the second quarter in a first half in which the two teams combined for 55 points.
Sanders as locker room leader
While Sanders provided the passing game a down-field component it lacked before his arrival, he also gave the receivers room a veteran presence it badly needed. Sanders took youngsters like Deebo Samuel and Kendrick Bourne under his wing, helping them in their development to become more well-rounded receivers. Samuel, in particular, grew close with Sanders, recently calling him a role model on social media.
Sanders’ bond with his fellow wideouts was apparent in the locker room. For Christmas, all the receivers, including those on the practice squad, were gifted custom Versace robes with their names on the back. Samuel and Sanders shared victory cigars in the locker room in Seattle following the Week 17 triumph over the Seahawks for the NFC’s top seed.
Saints coach Sean Payton brought in Sanders to complement star receiver Michael Thomas and provide a deep threat to open up the field for Drew Brees. To date, Sanders has been a mixed bag with the Saints. He caught just eight passes for 89 yards in his first three games. In his last three: 22 catches, 253 yards. He also dealt with a stint on the reserve/COVID-19 list that caused him to miss the victory over Arizona before the Saints’ bye week.
Sanders returned last week to play the Buccaneers, scoring a touchdown in a 38-3 throttling.
Saints coach Sean Payton in a conference call with Bay Area reporters on Wednesday was asked about adding Sanders and the veteran presence he brought to the offense.
“I think going through the process, I began to hear what you were talking about,” Payton said. “Not only in San Francisco, but his time in Denver. That’s kind of part of the equation. One of the challenges is, sometimes, in free agency, is not just what you see on film is all the other elements to it. I think that’s certainly continued here.
“He’s one of those guys that doesn’t have a lot of bad days, he’s kind of upbeat. I think he brings that leadership to the room. We had that a little bit with Ted Ginn actually before Ted left. Yeah, he’s been good.”
