Getty Emmanuel Sanders
Denver Broncos fans won’t have to wait until September to cast their glims on Emmanuel Sanders.
Broncos head coach Vic Fangio announced Monday that Sanders is expected to play at some point during the team’s three remaining preseason games. Fangio didn’t specify when Sanders would suit up.
After defeating the Falcons in the Hall of Fame Game, and dropping an exhibition affair to the Seahawks, Denver will make its home debut next Monday against the San Francisco 49ers at Mile High. They’ll then travel to Los Angeles to battle the Rams on Aug. 24 before hosting the Cardinals in the Aug. 29 preseason finale.
In other words, expect to see Sanders on the field against the Rams, at the latest, barring any setbacks.
Eight months removed from Achilles’ surgery, Sanders has slowly worked his back into the offensive fold. He sat out team exercises at the onset of camp before joining the unit for seven-on-sevens, if only to recalibrate the 33-year-old following his career-threatening injury.
On Monday, Sanders was a full go, taking part in both the individual and team portions of practice. He ran with the first-string for 11-on-11 drills, flaunting his still-intact ability by snagging a deep ball from quarterback Joe Flacco.
“I thought he would make it back quicker than most, and he has. He looks fine,” Fangio said. “I’ve asked the guys that have been here in the past to compare him to what he’s been in the past, because I don’t have a past for him, and they don’t see any difference right now.”
Sanders’ On-Field Role and Future
When (not if) he returns to the starting lineup, Sanders will function as the Broncos’ resident burner, one of its biggest offensive playmakers, health-willing. He’s slated to start opposite sophomore WRs Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton, and motivated to avenge an injury-muddled 2018 campaign, which initially put his professional future in doubt.
“He brings some energy. He brings that leadership. And he also brings—just physically he knows what to do,” Flacco said last week. “He knows where to be. He knows how to get to his spot. You can obviously see his quickness and feel show up when he’s in there. Just his experience for running routes and things like that. I think he will help us out a lot.”
Sanders is in the midst of a contract year, scheduled to make $10.25 million in base salary and count $12.937 million against the salary cap — the club’s third-most expensive number on payroll. He’ll hit unrestricted free agency next March.
Injury Report
The Broncos will welcome the Niners to Dove Valley this week for joint practices in the lead-up to the tilt. While Sanders should have no issue being put through the sessions, several of his teammates remain sidelined with various maladies.
Those who were held out Monday include defensive back Kareem Jackson (hamstring), inside linebackers Todd Davis (calf) and Joe Jones (triceps), running back Theo Riddick (shoulder) and fullback Andy Janovich (pectoral).
A rookie head man fixed in his ways, Fangio was encouraged about the collective operation despite hearing scant criticism over his unconventionally-long, oft-padded practices, which resumed two days after Denver’s loss to Seattle.
“It was good,” he said Sunday. “We’ve gotten some talk about how long and hard our practices are, but we rest long and hard, too. I think we’re one of the few teams in the league that took two days off of the field after a game also. We work hard, but we rest hard too.”
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter @KelbermanNFL