Denver Broncos: Who can make the best offer for Emmanuel Sanders?

The Denver Broncos are likely to move on from Emmanuel Sanders. What teams can give the best offer for him in a possible trade?

Emmanuel Sanders has been phenomenal for the Denver Broncos since he signed on as a free agent in 2014, but all good things must eventually come to an end.

Reports indicate that Sanders is likely to be traded by the Broncos, and the Broncos are hopeful they can recoup a day two draft pick, likely in the third round.

Although Sanders is in the final year of his contract, it would not be unprecedented to see a receiver with an expiring deal go for at least a third-round pick. As a matter of fact, it happened in 2018 when the Detroit Lions were able to get a third-round pick from the Philadelphia Eagles for Golden Tate.

And Tate didn’t even re-sign with the Eagles, who could certainly use him right now.

If the Broncos trade Sanders, they’re primed to add close to $5.43 million to the salary cap and undoubtedly a nice draft pick. Which teams are interested, and who can make the Broncos the best offer for their star receiver?

New England Patriots

2020 3rd round picks: 3 (projected)
2020 4th round picks: 1

Draft choices are inconsequential for the Patriots at this particular point in time. They are doing anything and everything possible to capture this championship window they’re in with Tom Brady seemingly ageless, playing into his 40s.

Sanders would immediately add a dynamic weapon to New England’s offense, worth the price of a third-rounder. With three in their arsenal (projected with compensatory pick formula adding two), New England could send the Broncos a top 100 pick.

Philadelphia Eagles

2020 3rd round picks: 2 (projected)
2020 4th round picks: 2 (projected)

The Philadelphia Eagles are 3-4 and suddenly find themselves needing to make some kind of desperation move just to keep pace with the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East.

It’s very clear that a player of Sanders’ caliber is missing from the Eagles’ offense, and we know how aggressive general manager Howie Roseman likes to be.

If the Eagles are willing to part with their own third-round pick, that could be a shrewd move for Denver given the Eagles are currently below .500.

San Francisco 49ers

2020 3rd round picks: 1
2020 4th round picks: 1

In addition to only having one pick in both the third and fourth rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft, the 49ers already traded their 2020 second-round pick for Dee Ford.

The 49ers would have to determine if acquiring Sanders would be worth the price of a potentially late third-round pick, depleting their day two draft selections or if the Broncos would take the 49ers’ fourth-rounder for Sanders considering it will be closer to round five.

Green Bay Packers

2020 3rd round picks: 1
2020 4th round picks: 1

Aaron Rodgers just accounted for six touchdowns against the Oakland Raiders. He threw touchdown passes to:

• Jimmy Graham
• Aaron Jones
• Marques Valdez-Scantling
• Jake Kumerow
• Jamaal Williams

Rodgers had a perfect passer rating, and Davante Adams didn’t even play. This guy is playing at the highest level we’ve seen, and his head coach Matt LaFleur is running an iteration of the same offense Denver is running.

The Packers are so white-hot and Sanders could be an asset. Who cares about a third-round pick? They need to win now.

Any one of these teams (and possibly more) could be serious contenders for Sanders right now, and because of the kind of asset Sanders could be to teams it wouldn’t surprise me if there was a bit of a bidding war and the Broncos end up with a third-round pick for him.