Finding a third wide receiver is a crucial component of training camp for the 49ers. While Jalen Hurd and Richie James Jr. have led that conversation throughout the offseason, another name keeps popping up: Mohamed Sanu.
It looked like Sanu’s career might be coming to a close after unsuccessful stints with the 49ers and Lions last season where he posted 17 receptions for 187 yards and a touchdown across 10 games with the two clubs. That was following a year where he stumbled to the finish line with the Patriots after they dealt a second-round pick to pry him away from the Falcons.
The 2021 offseason has provided something of a resurgence for Sanu. First it was offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel after OTAs who pointed out Sanu’s success. Then head coach Kyle Shanahan weighed in after Day 1 of training camp and offered a reason for the revitalization of the 32-year-old receiver.
“I think he’s in such a better spot. I knew Sanu so well from my year with him in Atlanta. We studied him hard when that trade went down and we were looking into him and Emmanuel [Sanders] and New England and up getting Sanu,” Shanahan said. “And he was at the top of his game then. And he had such a bad high ankle sprain that last year in New England. Then went into COVID. We didn’t get until I want to say Week 1 and he just wasn’t quite the same yet. And I think that happens. It happened with a lot of guys who didn’t get to do the same stuff in COVID. When guys don’t get to go through an off-season OTAs and off-season training camp, they don’t know why, but there’s just something missing. And Sanu told us he was good to go and we believed him. And we got him here in OTAs and we could see it. I think you ask our players and anybody who’s watched him here. It looks like the guy I remember, and not the guy that we had for that those week and a half or whatever it was, and looked great today too. So hopefully can keep it up and keep it going.”
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was more concise in his assessment of Sanu.
“He’s looking (expletive) good, man,” Garoppolo said. “I mean excuse the language, but he really is. He came in ready. It’s been a lot of fun this first day and I’m looking forward to rest of camp with him.”
Not only has Sanu provided optimism about his chances to contribute on the field in 2021, but he’s having an impact outside the lines with the 49ers’ young group of receivers. Garoppolo compared his impact to that of veteran Emmanuel Sanders when the 49ers traded for him about halfway through the 2019 campaign.
“I didn’t even think about that, but it is very similar. Just the attention to detail Mo brings is very unique in the receiver position,” Garoppolo said. “Emmanuel was the same way. And I wouldn’t say we have a young receiver core, but just you know, inexperienced, I guess. But having his experience around and hearing him talk to guys it’s really cool. Yeah, it’s very similar to Emmanuel.”
Sanders stepped into a 49ers’ receiving corps in 2019 that featured a rookie Deebo Samuel and third-year veteran Kendrick Bourne. He helped elevate that group to a Super Bowl level. Sanu and the 49ers have a long way to go before reaching that plateau, but the fact the veteran is in the conversation for a team that desperately needs quality receiving depth is a great early sign for San Francisco in their quest to play into February again.