Steelers GM Implies That WR Emmanuel Sanders Will Likely Reach The Open Market

Steelers GM Kevin Colbert made it sounds like impending free agent WR Emmanuel Sanders will be given an opportunity to test the open market in the coming weeks.

“Emmanuel came back and had a nice year for us, and we were happy to have him,” Colbert said on Thurday at the Combine. via the Boston Herald. “Where he goes in free agency and what his market is, we don’t know at this point, but he certainly performed for us last year. And we’ll see where it is in the future.”

Sanders, 26, is coming off of his best season in the league. He totaled 67 receptions for 740 yards and six touchdowns over the course of 16 games.

Last year, the Patriots attempted to sign him away from Pittsburgh as a restricted free agent, but the Steelers ultimately matched their offer. It will be interesting to see if the Patriots still have interest in Sanders, especially now that they could lose WR Julian Edelman during free agency.

As for draft options, the Steelers could consider guys like Mike Evans and Kelvin Benjamin in the first round. We have them selecting Penn State WR Allen Robinson in the second round of our recently updated 2014 NFL Mock Draft.