Emmanuel Sanders returns to lead the young wideouts
Jul 24, 2019, 8:50 PM
After five practices where the Broncos offense struggled, the team got a jumpstart when training camp resumed on Wednesday – Emmanuel Sanders was back in the fold. Kind of.
For the first time since tearing his Achilles tendon last December, Denver’s top wide receiver participated in part of practice. He didn’t just sprint. He didn’t just run routes. He didn’t just catch passes. He actually played football.
“I felt good out there,” Sanders explained after practice. “I’m happy to be back, at least back on what I’m doing.”
During the first 7-on-7 drill of Wednesday’s afternoon session, the veteran wideout was lining up on the outside, running routes and catching passes from Joe Flacco. It was a welcome sight, as Denver needs the wideout on the field if they’re going to be effective in 2019.
The spark Sanders can provide was immediately evident. While only participating in a handful of plays, he posted one of the highlights of training camp, laying out for a pass over the middle that generated plenty of cheers from the faithful gathered on the hill.
“I’ve got to go watch that play,” Sanders said after practice. “I don’t know if I had to dive. But you know what? When I got it, I said, ‘I’m back, baby!’ It felt good. I’m looking forward to tomorrow and keeping on getting better.”
The play got the crowd fired up, but Sanders being on the field seemed to spark his teammates. Two days after a drop-fest that had Broncos Country wondering what was going on, the veteran wide receiver being on the field seemed to up everyone’s game.
“To see him be able to come out here and go full speed for the first couple of times, it was awesome,” Courtland Sutton explained. “There is a lot more coming from that. I hope you all know that we are going to get the Emmanuel Sanders back that everybody knows.”
As has been the theme throughout camp, where Vic Fangio has taken a no-nonsense approach with his team, Sanders didn’t sugarcoat his dissatisfaction with his teammates. He let them know that dropping passes was unacceptable.
“I am more like, ‘Get your (bleep) together; let’s go,’” Sanders said about his leadership style. “It’s all about putting everything together and going out and being a baller.
While blunt with his fellow wideouts, Sanders also knows that he’s dealing with an inexperienced group. It’s going to take time for everyone to develop into bonafide pros.
“I tell them all the time: ‘You’re here for a reason; be who you were in college because what you did in college got you here,'” Sanders added. “‘Just let all the nerves go and understand that if it’s meant for you, it’s meant for you.’”
He knows he’s dealing with some players with much less experience than him.
“It’s the youngest group that I’ve been around,” Sanders explained. “Nobody is over 25. We’ve got a very young group. (We’re) just trying to get these guys right. I know sitting on the sideline it looks easy. (You may think), ‘Oh my grandma could have made that catch.’ But it’s a lot harder than you think.”
The wideout has a point. Other than him, the Broncos wide receiver room doesn’t boast anyone with much service time.
Sutton (23), DaeSean Hamilton (24), Tim Patrick (25) and River Cracraft (24) are entering their second seasons in the NFL, making them the next-most-seasoned veterans. Behind them on the depth chart are rookies like Juwann Winfree (22), Jamarius Way (22), Trinity Benson (22) and Kelvin McKnight (22), first-year pros Fred Brown (25) and Steven Dunbar (23), and converted cornerback Brendan Langley (24).
That’s a stunningly green group of wide receivers. It’s no wonder the Broncos offense has sputtered without the one experienced pass catcher on the field.
“They are just trying to get acclimated with that, but I’m pushing for those young guys,” Sanders added. “We still have 30 more days of camp, so hopefully we can turn that around and stop putting balls on the ground.”
Getting Sanders back on the field would be great news no matter the situation at his position. But his return, given how woefully green the Broncos are at wideout, is critical to Denver’s offensive success in 2019.
He’s their best pass catcher, no doubt. But Sanders is also the on-field leader for a group of young, talented wideouts trying to find their way at the NFL level.
That’s why Wednesday was a such a big day for the Broncos. The importance of getting Emmanuel Sanders back on the field can’t be overstated.
