Free agent WR Emmanuel Sanders to sign with the Saints

The New Orleans Saints agreed to a free agent contract with San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, ESPN reported Friday night.

The New Orleans Saints landed a huge get in free agency on Friday night when San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders agreed to sign a contract, per multiple reports. ESPN’s Josina Anderson first reported that Sanders intended to sign with the Saints, which her ESPN colleague Ed Werder confirmed. Anderson added that it is a two-year contract.

The impact of this move can’t be underestimated. Sanders provides the veteran compliment to Michael Thomas that the Saints and Drew Brees have been searching for, giving them a serious one-two punch at an important position. With Sanders in the fold, the Saints will be able to spread the ball around more evenly and attack defenses in a variety of ways.

What’s more, this allows the Saints to approach next month’s draft from a position that allows them to take the best prospect available. They won’t have to reach for a wide receiver in this deep rookie class and can instead wait for the value to be right once they’re on the clock. This is a major upgrade for New Orleans.