While it wasn’t cheap for the San Francisco 49ers to acquire veteran wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders from the Denver Broncos halfway through the 2019 campaign, ultimately costing a third- and fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the transaction ultimately had some notable benefits.
The first, of course, was Sanders’ production and presence, which eventually paid huge dividends in the Niners’ ability to make it to Super Bowl LIV and nearly winning it.
The other benefit was, if Sanders was to leave in free agency during the offseason, San Francisco would likely be rewarded with a compensatory pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.