Report claims mutual interest between Cowboys, Emmanuel Sanders

Dallas may be looking to fill the hole left by Randall Cobb’s departure with a Super Bowl champ who has local ties to the Metroplex.

The loss of Cole Beasley in 2018 stung… until the Cowboys brought in longtime Packers receiver Randall Cobb to take over the slot role. With Cobb leaving Dallas this week to take a job with the Texans, it felt like deja vu all over again. And just as the name-recognition of Beasley’s replacement eased the pain of losing a fan favorite, the first candidate mentioned to assume Cobb’s freshly-emptied locker would sure be a spoonful of sugar to help the news of his departure go down.

NFL Network’s Jane Slater is reporting that there is mutual interest between the Cowboys and two-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champ Emmanuel Sanders.

Sanders’s local connection to the Dallas area has caused rumors before. Two years ago, while in Denver, Sanders caused a bit of a stir when he let it be known that, should he and the Broncos part ways, he would love to suit up for the Cowboys. He even liked a tweet at the time suggesting that Dallas would be an ideal landing spot for him.

The Broncos-Sanders divorce didn’t happen until midway through the 2019 season, when the former third-round draft pick was sent to San Francisco in a trade. If there had been questions about Sanders and the torn Achilles he had suffered in Denver in 2018, the then-32-year-old answered them quickly. In just his second game as a 49er, Sanders caught seven balls on nine targets for 112 yards and a touchdown. A few weeks later, he went seven-of-nine again for 157 and a score.

Sanders turned 33 on Saint Patrick’s Day. He’s still known as a precise route-runner who can turn on the jets when needed. He’s versatile enough to line up in the slot or as a true wide receiver. And he has excellent hands.

It is not out of the question that San Francisco could convince Sanders to stay with the 49ers. Other teams like the Saints and Redskins have reportedly engaged in conversation with him as well.  On paper, he would seem to be a tantalizing option for Dak Prescott’s air attack.

And, of course, a Sanders signing doesn’t necessarily preclude either the drafting of a collegiate speedster… or the welcoming back to the Cowboys fold of a certain No. 88.

A receiving corps that includes Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, Emmanuel Sanders, and Dez Bryant is admittedly a lot of fun to think about. Except maybe for opposing defensive coordinators.

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