Getty Emmanuel Sanders celebrates a touchdown in a game against the Miami Dolphins.
Emmanuel Sanders came to the Buffalo Bills in 2021 with one goal in mind — winning one more Super Bowl before he rides off into the sunset.
The veteran Sanders fell short with the Bills last season, but could have one more chance to win it all with an NFC contender, a new report suggests. The 35-year-old wide receiver has been coy about his plans for next season, however, not committing to playing at all and hinting that he may be ready for retirement.
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One More Ride for Sanders?
While Sanders contemplates the future of his NFL career, Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine suggests that he could be the perfect fit for a different Super Bowl contender, the Green Bay Packers.
Ballentine noted that the Packers have not done much to address the wide receiver position since trading Davante Adams in March, and big-name free agents like Odell Beckham Jr. and Julio Jones don’t appear to be strong fits for Green Bay. Beckham has expressed a desire to return to the Los Angeles Rams, while Jones has been limited by injuries that kept him to just 19 total games over the last two seasons.
“But intriguing options exist outside those two,” Ballentine wrote. “The most reliable of whom is Emmanuel Sanders. The 35-year-old has been a consistent target and is coming off a season in which he played 14 games for the Bills and had 626 yards and four touchdowns.”
JOSH ALLEN to EMMANUEL SANDERS = #TOUCHDOWN for the Bills!
Buffalo leads 14-10
Ballentine added that Sanders seems to be a good complement to the wide receivers the Packers already have on the roster.
“The Packers already have big, fast receivers who can win at the catch point downfield in Allen Lazard (6’5″, 227 lbs) and Christian Watson (6’5″, 208 lbs),” he wrote. “Sanders thrives in working the short and intermediate areas of the field and would work well with Rodgers.”
Another Likely Option for Sanders
Sanders may not be looking to join the Packers or the Bills — or any other team, for that matter. He hinted during the last season that he was ready to retire following the season, and again in April expressed uncertainty about whether he wants to come back for what would be his 13th NFL season.
Appearing as a co-host of “Good Morning Football,” Sanders said it’s been difficult for him to decide what to do next season and said he only wants to play if his heart is fully in it.
Bills WR Emmanuel Sanders opens up about future: ‘I’ve got some reflecting I want to do and possibly retire’ t.co/g5OacqJc8l
“It’s tough because, for me, I just want to make sure that I’m passionate,” Sanders said. “I don’t want to cheat myself and I don’t want to cheat a team. So, I’m just trying to figure it out. I’m still working out but I’m trying to figure out if I want to do it. I don’t want to just jump into something and chase after some money. For me, hold myself to a standard in which I want to produce and which I want to give a team.”
Sanders still had plenty to add for the Bills last season, serving as a deep threat for quarterback Josh Allen. He also made some important playoff contributions, catching his first career playoff touchdown in the team’s 47-17 rout of the New England Patriots in the wild card round.
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Ex-Bills WR Emmanuel Sanders Advised to Sign With NFC Contender