The San Francisco 49ers announced on Tuesday they have acquired WR Emmanuel Sanders and a 2020 fifth round pick from the Denver Broncos in exchange for the team's third and fourth round picks next year. Sanders must pass a physical for the trade to be executed.
"Emmanuel is a passionate football player whose toughness and competitive nature have helped him become a dynamic playmaker in this league," said 49ers General Manager John Lynch. "He possesses a number of qualities, on and off the field, that we value in our players. His familiarity in a similar offensive system will allow for a quick transition. We are excited to add Emmanuel to our roster and look forward to seeing him positively impact our team."
Sanders (5-11, 180) was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round (82nd overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft. Throughout his 10 NFL seasons with the Steelers (2010-13) and Denver Broncos (2014-19), he has appeared in 134 games (95 starts) and registered 565 receptions for 7,391 yards (13.1 average) and 39 touchdowns. A two-time Pro Bowl selection (2015 & 2017), Sanders has also appeared in eight postseason contests (four starts) and racked up 36 receptions for 448 yards and was a member of the Broncos Super Bowl 50 Championship team at Levi's Stadium. This season, Sanders has started all seven games with the Broncos and registered 30 receptions for 367 yards and two touchdowns.
Off the field, Sanders was chosen as a Broncos Community Ambassador winner in 2017 after launching the Emmanuel Sanders Foundation, which supports financially disadvantaged families with support and resources.
A 32-year-old native of Bellville, TX, Sanders attended Southern Methodist University where he finished his collegiate career as the school's all-time leader in receptions (235), receiving yards (3,791), receiving touchdowns (34) and 100-yard receiving games (16). As a senior, he was named First-Team All-Conference USA and set single-season school records with 98 receptions for 1,339 yards along with seven touchdowns.
