With less than 24 hours to go before the NFL trade deadline, the Patriots are on the lookout for an available wide receiver who could step in and immediately improve Tom Brady's options. While Larry Fitzgerald is still New England's first choice, there are several other receivers who the Patriots are considering.
Pittsburgh's Emmanuel Sanders is near the top of that list. Sanders is a fourth-year pro out of Southern Methodist who's improved every season he's been in the league. With 396 yards so far this year, Sanders has been a bright spot in an anemic Pittsburgh offense. Pittsburgh is now 2-5, and with a schedule that only gets harder from here, they'll definitely be willing to explore trade options that would speed up the inevitable rebuilding process.
Sanders should be available for a third-round pick, and New England would have no problem giving that up for a player who can add experience and depth to a green, beat-up receiving corps. Despite this move making much more sense than a hail mary for Larry Fitzgerald or a move for a character risk like Kenny Britt, the Patriots haven't reached out to Pittsburgh yet. We get the feeling that the Patriots are waiting to see how the Fitzgerald situation plays out before seriously exploring other options, but with less than 24 hours to go before the deadline, time to make other plans is running out.
Sanders is a solid, hardworking player without a superstar ego. Despite being the best fit for New England, the chances of the Patriots trading for Sanders are still fairly low.
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