Report: 49ers to release WR Mohamed Sanu

The 49ers are set to release Mohamed Sanu with Richie James Jr. likely coming off Injured Reserve.

The Mohamed Sanu era in San Francisco is coming to a close according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. The 49ers are set to release Sanu as their injury situation improves at wide receiver.

Acquiring a free agent receiver became a necessity after Week 1 when Richie James Jr. had to go on Injured Reserve with a hamstring injury. Sanu’s familiarity with Kyle Shanahan’s offense made him a logical, plug-and-play signing. He wound up playing 40 snaps across three games and caught one pass for nine yards. Sanu played only seven snaps vs. the Eagles in the game Deebo Samuel returned from IR.

Now James is set to come off IR after the requisite three week stay per Shanahan, and the need for a veteran receiver like Sanu who only contributes on offense has waned. The emergence of rookie wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk as a multifaceted weapon likely played into the decision as well.

San Francisco will move forward with Samuel, Aiyuk, James, Trent Taylor, Dante Pettis and Kendrick Bourne in the receiving corps assuming James comes off IR.

49ers officially sign Mohamed Sanu, place Richie James on IR

The San Francisco 49ers officially signed Mohamed Sanu and placed Richie James Jr. on Injured Reserve with a hamstring injury.

The 49ers on Friday officially announced the signing of wide receiver Mohamed Sanu to their 53-man roster. To make room for Sanu, they placed wide receiver Richie James Jr. on Injured Reserve.

Sanu officially signing indicates he passed his three required COVID-19 tests, which means he should be able to practice with the team Friday. His agent on Tuesday announced that the veteran receiver agreed to a one-year deal with San Francisco.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t rule out Sanu playing as early as Sunday, though it doesn’t sound like he’ll have a significant role unless there’s an injury or a player struggles. The 49ers will head to New York to face the Jets with Kendrick Bourne, Dante Pettis, Trent Taylor, Brandon Aiyuk and Sanu in their receiving corps.

James’ hamstring injury happened during the season opener, and now he’ll be out at least three weeks by going on IR. His placement there opened a roster spot for Sanu. James is the second wide receiver to go on IR this season, joining Deebo Samuel who was placed there before Week 1. The earliest James would be able to return is Week 5 vs. the Dolphins.

Without James last week the 49ers relied on running back Jerick McKinnon to return kicks. Pettis and Taylor traded off punt return duties.

San Francisco leaves with their new-look receiving corps for New Jersey after Friday’s practice. They’ll kickoff against the Jets from MetLife Stadium at 10:00 am Pacific Time.

Can Mohamed Sanu contribute for 49ers vs. Jets?

Mohamed Sanu could offer a needed jolt to the 49ers’ passing game Sunday vs. the New York Jets.

The 49ers badly need reinforcements at wide receiver after injuries left them with just three healthy players at the position to end Week 1, and they were set to have only four healthy players there going into their second game with the Jets.

To help bolster their receiving corps, San Francisco agreed to terms with veteran pass catcher Mohamed Sanu, who spent the 2016 season in Atlanta with Kyle Shanahan.

This isn’t a scenario though where Sanu is only needed for depth. The 49ers need him to contribute right away, especially if tight end George Kittle is unavailable. The combination of Kendrick Bourne, Dante Pettis and Trent Taylor had just four catches for 41 yards in the season opener. Rookie wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk missed Week 1 with a hamstring injury and should return vs. the Jets, but his ability to contribute in his NFL debut after a shortened offseason is uncertain.

Shanahan on Wednesday in a pre-practice conference all told reporters that while Sanu won’t be able to practice until Friday due to the NFL’s COVID-19 testing rules, he should be able to suit up and play snaps thanks to his familiarity with the system and technology.

“That’s the benefit of being with someone before, that he’s familiar with the offense,” Shanahan said. “He only had one year away from it and did some very similar verbiage and stuff in Atlanta, even after I left. So, he’s familiar with it. It’s good that we got him done so he can at least listen to our meetings. He can’t be here, but he has an idea of the game plan, can see it all. He’ll be able to get there out at practice, which is a half-speed practice anyways. Mo will do his part. He’s a pro. He’ll learn his responsibilities, what he has to do and basically the decision of whether he’ll play or not probably is going to depend with the health of our other receivers and how that goes this week.”

The 49ers are confident in what they’re getting in Sanu. Despite a lackluster eight games with the Patriots last year after they made a midseason trade for him and then his subsequent release following this year’s training camp, Shanahan said the team didn’t get a chance to work Sanu out before negotiating a one-year contract with him. Again, technology aided the process.

“It was too hard to bring guys in for a workout and stuff. It just takes too many other days,” Shanahan said. “So, that’s what was good with being familiar with Mo, that he could get here, start studying the playbook, allow him in Zoom meetings. So, if need be, if we need the numbers out there, he’ll be ready.”

It’s probably unrealistic to expect Sanu to start and play 80 percent of the snaps if Aiyuk, Bourne, Pettis and Taylor are all healthy. However, if the 49ers find themselves in an offensive rut similar to the one they were in over the final four quarters in Week 1, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Sanu get some playing time to try and help kickstart the passing game.

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49ers to sign WR Mohamed Sanu

The 49ers are going to sign free agent wide receiver Mohamed Sanu according to NFL Network.

The 49ers are set to sign wide receiver Mohamed Sanu to a one-year deal according to his agent, Mike McCartney.

Sanu has one year in Kyle Shanahan’s offense when the two were both in Atlanta for the 2016 season. He finished that season with 59 catches for 653 yards and four touchdowns. His familiarity with the scheme should help him transition quickly to help out a 49ers WR corps that desperately needs help.

Deebo Samuel is on Injured Reserve for at least two more weeks with a foot injury. Rookie wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is still working through a hamstring injury, and Richie James Jr. exited Sunday’s game vs. Arizona with a hamstring issue. With River Cracraft, Kevin White and seventh-round pick Jauan Jennings the only in-house options available, it makes sense San Francisco would go elsewhere for reinforcements.

The 49ers receivers in their season opener accounted for only four catches for 41 yards.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday had high praise for Sanu when reporters asked about the free agent receiver:

“Yeah, we’ll see how these injuries go, but I love Sanu. He’s a hell of a player, so him being out there is always a possibility,” Shanahan said. “We’ll look into everything that we have, though. We’ve got to know our numbers are going to be up this week, which we don’t have that settled yet, but I wouldn’t rule that out at all. He’s available and he’s definitely a guy I really respect and I think everyone in this league respects.”

The Patriots acquired Sanu from the Falcons for a second-round pick before last year’s trade deadline. An ankle injury hobbled him and kept him from being effective for New England. He posted just 26 catches for 207 yards and one touchdown in eight games. The Patriots released him at final roster cuts before the start of this season.

Matt Barrows of the Athletic reported Sanu will be in Santa Clara on Tuesday to undergo his required COVID-19 testing. He needs three negative tests before he can join the team. That would put him on the practice field as early as Friday. His status for Sunday is unknown, although his familiarity with the offense should allow him to take snaps relatively quickly.

Sanu was a third-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2012 out of Rutgers. In eight seasons he’s racked up 403 catches, 4,507 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns.

Tennessee Titans should target WR Mohamed Sanu

Wide receiver Mohamed Sanu would fill a need for the Titans.

The New England Patriots are reportedly set to release veteran wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, making him a free agent — and the Tennessee Titans should be licking their chops.

Full disclaimer: Sanu likely prefers a situation in which he can start, something the Titans cannot offer. However, that doesn’t mean the organization shouldn’t at least kick the tires on the former Rutgers University standout.

At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, Sanu is the kind of big-bodied wideout head coach Mike Vrabel has mentioned the team is looking for, and the Titans could certainly utilize him in the red zone.

Now, I’m not advocating that Sanu eat into wide receiver Corey Davis’ target share, but rather that he could be a stellar 4A to wide receiver Kalif Raymond’s 4B on the depth chart.

Sanu would give the Titans options — room for offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to get creative.

Depending on how much he has left in the tank, Sanu could provide an upgrade over Tennessee’s fourth wideout from 2019, Tajae Sharpe.

Imagine a four-wide set including Sanu on the goal line to spread out opposing defenses, only to hand the ball to running back Derrick Henry for a walk-in touchdown. Sounds pretty sweet.

For his career, Sanu has 403 receptions for 4,507 yards and 28 combined touchdowns.

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Is WR Mohamed Sanu a good fit for the Jets?

The former Patriot and Falcon isn’t an efficient receiver but would help the Jets’ depth.

The Jets need receiver help after injuries hit the team hard this offseason and a veteran wideout just hit the open market.

Mohamed Sanu, who played the second half of the 2019 season in New England after 3.5 seasons with the Falcons, could be a target for the Jets after the Patriots released him Wednesday. Sanu had a horrific 2019 season and wouldn’t be a great addition to New York’s receiver corp, but he would be a solid stopgap if the team’s numerous injury recovery times don’t look promising.

Five of the Jets’ best receivers missed practice since the start of training camp with various injuries. Breshad Perriman (knee), Vyncint Smith (core), Jeff Smith (shoulder), Denzel Mims (hamstring) and Lawrence Cager (knee) are all recovering and most are questionable or out for Week 1. Mims and Cager returned in a limited capacity Wednesday, but it’s tough to expect much from the two rookies when the Jets play the Bills in 10 days. Joe Douglas signed Chris Hogan and Donte Moncrief in an attempt to solve the holes on the roster, but they were previously free agents for a reason.

The same can be said for Sanu, too, after a horrid 2019 season.

Sanu recently turned 31 and finished the season with his fewest receptions since 2016 and fewest yards and touchdowns since his rookie season in 2012. He also had an inefficient year – Sanu finished 74th out of 81 receivers in Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement and 73rd out of 81 in Defense-adjusted Value Over Average, per Football Outsiders. He only tallied 0.94 yards per route (62nd in the league), 5.8 yards per target (95th) and 334 completed air yards.

He’s not as good as he once was, but he’s at least more experienced and capable than a lot of the Jets’ current wideouts. Jamison Crowder is locked in as Sam Darnold’s go-to pass-catcher in the middle of the field, but unless Mims and Perriman return quickly, the Jets lack an outside receiver. Sanu doesn’t fit that description, but he’d fill in admirably as another possession receiver alongside Crowder, Hogan and Moncrief in the event Mims and Perriman aren’t ready for Week 1. Would he be an upgrade? Probably not. But the Patriots gave up a second-round pick for Sanu in 2019 , so they clearly saw value. He didn’t mesh with the Patriots offense but he could fit in Gase’s.

It’s slim pickings on the open market, and Sanu is probably the best of the bunch left. If the Jets can bring Sanu in on a cheap contract, he’s certainly worth a look. But otherwise, he’d just be another washed out veteran who wouldn’t necessarily elevate the Jets offense, but he wouldn’t tank it, either. 

Mohamed Sanu react to the Patriots’ release: ‘It was a money thing’

Sanu believes he knows the reason behind his release.

The New England Patriots released wide receiver Mohamed Sanu on Wednesday, with the season only 11 days away.

Sanu came over to New England at the trade deadline in exchange for a second-round pick. He caught 26 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown. With roster cut downs beginning this Saturday, the Patriots will have some moves to make over the next couple of days.

For his part, Sanu thinks that his release was a result of money. His release does free up some cap room for New England. The Patriots created $6.5 million in new space with his release.

With Bill Belichick having made several major moves over the course of this offseason, it wouldn’t be a stretch to wonder if more moves are on the way. In what is a retooling year for New England, the organization now has a completely different look.

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Instant analysis of Patriots releasing WR Mohamed Sanu

Releasing Mohamed Sanu takes away from an already slim receiving corps.

The New England Patriots made the move on Wednesday night of reportedly releasing wide receiver Mohamed Sanu.

New England traded for Sanu last season for a second-round pick, hoping for instant production from an experienced receiver. He dealt with an ankle injury and didn’t live up to the expectations the Patriots had. His release isn’t that odd though, considering the fact he was slipping behind Damiere Byrd on the depth chart.

The Patriots’ depth chart at receiver now consists of Julian Edelman, N’Keal Harry, Byrd, Gunner Olszewski, Jakobi Meyers and Jeff Thomas. Edelman is 34-years-old, Harry hasn’t proven himself yet and the pool of talent drops instantly after that.

The likely reasons for Sanu’s release is the cap space the Patriots will retain without him on the roster and the fact he doesn’t play any special teams. The Patriots are paying a lot of money, with little versatility. They didn’t gain much from the trade because of the second-round pick, but Bill Belichick always has a plan.

Sanu spoke to NFL reporter Josina Anderson after the release and said he believes it was a money thing.

New England’s thin pass-catching group doesn’t stop with the receivers — there’s two rookie tight ends in Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene who are sitting atop the depth chart. Cam Newton has a whole slew of running backs and a solid offensive line this season, but he has no one to throw to.

The Patriots have less than two weeks to put together a group of receivers that give Newton viable options. James White, Rex Burkhead and Lamar Miller all have pass-catching abilities out of the backfield, but that still handicaps Newton. So, it’s difficult to gauge New England’s next move when it comes to production through the air.

Sanu is 31-years-old and will land on an NFL roster this season, it just won’t be in Foxborough.

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Washington should consider bringing in WR Mohamed Sanu for 2020 season

The Patriots released Mohamed Sanu on Wednesday, which could open a door for Washington to bring in the veteran who is familiar with Haskins.

Former Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots wide receiver Mohamed Sanu has bounced around a bit in the past couple of seasons, and he is likely to be on the move once again, with news breaking that the Patriots released him on Wednesday.

If you’re a fan of the Washington Football Team, this should make your ears perk up a little bit, not only because Sanu is a capable veteran WR who could add some much-needed depth to the roster, but also because he has a solid relationship with quarterback Dwayne Haskins. As The Athletic’s Mark Bullock noted, the two have had a strong line of communication for the past year or so.

It will be interesting to see what Ron Rivera chooses to do here because you could argue pretty equally for or against bringing Sanu to Washington. On the one hand, Sanu is a veteran pass-catcher who could give Haskins another target downfield, but there is also not a huge expectation to be good this year in Washington, and it might be more valuable to give the young guys as many reps as you can to better prepare them for the future.

Still, I think that it would behoove both Haskins and the offense to throw another solid receiver into the mix and see if he can help spur on the offense a bit. What do you have to lose?

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Report: Patriots release WR Mohamed Sanu

Mohamed Sanu didn’t look the same after suffering an ankle injury in 2019.

The New England Patriots released receiver Mohamed Sanu on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. Sanu, who was due $6.5 million in salary in 2020, was in his second season with the Patriots after they traded a second-round pick for him at the trade deadline in 2019.

Sanu had one solid game for New England, a 10-catch performance against the Baltimore Ravens, but suffered an ankle injury that limited him for the rest of the season. This offseason, he had surgery, but didn’t look the same when training camp arrived. He seemed to have lost a step. So it looks like New England is favoring their younger group of receivers — aside, of courses, from Julian Edelman.

Sanu leaves behind Edelman, N’Keal Harry, Gunner Olszewski, Damiere Byrd, Devin Ross, Jakobi Meyers, Jeff Thomas and Isaiah Zuber.

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