Emmanuel Sanders feels he has a lot left in the tank yet
Denver Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders feels like he still has a lot left to offer. He’s excited about this, his age 31 season…
If you ask Emmanuel Sanders, there’s nothing wrong with being 30 in the NFL…
"“See, the problem is what’s going on right now is the moment that you get over 30 in the NFL, they automatically say, ‘He’s getting up in age.’ But what they fail to realize is that when I first came into the NFL, we had two-a-days. We had all of these processes. Big hits were going down. Guys were going through two-a-days holding out yards. Now, 30 is like the new 27. I’m telling you. You add a couple or three years. Those two-a-days were brutal. Those hits back in the day. I still feel like I’ve still got juice for the next five years. I don’t know what this guy is talking about.”Emmanuel Sanders (quotes via Broncos PR)"
Sanders had a rough 2017 season, plagued by an ankle injury suffered in a prime time loss against the New York Giants.
After the injury against the Giants, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if the Broncos had decided to shut down Sanders for the season entirely.
But, the veteran receiver played through the pain, and that took more of a toll on him than just physically.
"“It was bad. There were some games and I was like what am I doing to myself? Do I even like football anymore? Because it was a battle within myself mentally and just trying to go out there and make plays. Just putting it all out on the line, it was tough. This year I’ve got a different mentality. That is, get this ankle back 100 percent and get my confidence back…”Sanders"
Those are some pretty revealing statements from Sanders right there. When the team is losing and he’s trying to go out and make plays with an injured ankle, it’s impossible to be excited about what you’re doing.
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But Sanders also revealed something interesting that will be worth monitoring as the offseason progresses, and that’s the fact that his ankle is still not 100 percent.
He implied in that last quote that he is still working his way back to full health, indicating the severity of his injury last season is more than we were originally led to believe.
There were rumblings this offseason that Sanders could be cut or traded. There are still doubts about his future with the Broncos beyond the 2018 season, but right now, that’s all anyone is focused on.
Sanders still has a lot to offer the Broncos for the immediate future, and he’s looking forward to bouncing back.
With a fully healthy Sanders, a stable quarterback situation with Case Keenum, and an improved offensive line, the Broncos are hoping to take a step forward offensively.
Specifically for Sanders, that means first getting back to full strength. He will be an open vessel for the young receivers coming in, and he knows the circle of life in the NFL means those young guys are gunning for his job.
The Broncos have a lot of money invested in Sanders this season, and he’s looking to prove he’s still worthy of that big investment.