Report: Medical Likely Why Sanders Hasn’t Been Signed Yet

So far, Emmanuel Sanders has had visits with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Kansas City Chiefs. He is reported to have a visit scheduled with the 49ers tomorrow. With this flurry of visits, one has to wonder- why doesn’t he have a contract yet?

The answer, according to Scott Brown of ESPN, is due to his medical history. Sanders missed very minimal time last season due to knee and foot injuries. The main injury concerns according to Brown, are due to the surgeries he’s had on his feet over two years ago. Durability was once a concern for the Steelers, though it hasn’t been an issue recently. The Patriots made an offer on Sanders last season, but teams often prioritize injury histories differently for one year rentals.

I have to think the bigger issue for Sanders is the money he’s reportedly seeking. According to Brown, Sanders is believed to be seeking Golden Tate money. Tate just signed a 5 year, $31.5 Mil deal, which included $13.25 in guaranteed money. If that’s true, Sanders is going to be disappointed.

The Steelers are reportedly open to having Sanders back, but there is no way they’ll offer him a contract anywhere in that ballpark. Sanders is coming off of his best season, but as we enter the 2nd wave of free agency, he’ll most likely need to consider lowering his expectations.